When the new iPhone 13 series was unveiled, the internet unsurprisingly went wild. Not long after its release, many public figures and influencers are already seen with the device. As a result, consumers hurried to place their orders, excited to keep up with the latest trend in tech.
But along with consumers, there’s another group of people that gawked over the new iPhone 13: robbers and shoplifters.
Fortunately, Apple employs a scheme that makes their products useless to thieves. Their demo devices — those displayed on stores for customers to try — include a “software kill switch,” which allows Apple to disable them without using the Find My iPhone app. However, this security measure doesn’t prevent robbery.
For instance, on July 23, 2018, five robbers looted an Apple store in Costa Mesa, California, taking with them $29,000 worth of merchandise. Earlier that month, an Apple store in Fresno, California, was also robbed of over $27,000 in iPhones and computers. In addition, Huntington Station’s Apple store got robbed of more than $19,000 worth of iPhones.
The robbers may have no use for their stolen devices, but it’s a loss for Apple all the same. To prevent the same from happening in your luxurious retail store, consider implementing these security measures:
1. Avoid Putting Up Window Displays
If you run a luxurious jewelry or garment store, avoid using window displays to attract customers. Window displays are a target for smash-and-grab robbers, who break the glass and grab the displays as fast as they can.
Even if the smash-and-grab technique draws attention fast, it doesn’t deter robbers. Worse, if they are armed, they’d use intimidation to force you to back down. This is what happened in a jewelry store in Paris just recently, and up to $12 million worth of jewelry was taken. Luckily, the police caught and arrested the robbers quickly, but it took them a car chase to do so.
However, not using a window display doesn’t automatically make your store invulnerable to robbery. To protect your stocks and employees, train them in emergency response. Your employees should be calm even if a weapon is pointed at them. It may sound impossible to do, but a calm response is what let the Paris jewelry store employees handle the robbery faultlessly.
2. Equip Your Employees with Panic Buttons
A panic button is an alarm that can be installed on smartphones, worn around the neck, or attached to the hidden corners of a workplace. They either emit a siren or work silently, the latter alerting the police immediately.
This device is helpful during a robbery or safety emergency, like a fire or earthquake. It allows store employees to get help quickly, discreetly, and conveniently. Inquire about panic buttons when you avail a top-notch alarm system installation for your business.
3. Set Up Security Cameras and Alarm
Security cameras and alarms are useful against shoplifters. Stealthy and cunning, shoplifters cause retailers to lose billions every year. According to the FBI, they’re part of an organized crime, an industry worth $30 billion.
To boost your shoplifter deterrents, use security cameras with a facial recognition feature. This will allow you to bar the shoplifter from your store in case they come back to steal more. This is essential because shoplifters are professional criminals who pose as regular customers. But once your security system already detects them as a shoplifter, their data will already be stored and remembered by the system. As a result, alarms will automatically blare if the shoplifter is spotted in your store again.
4. Discuss Robbery Scenarios with Your Employees
As part of your emergency response training, discuss or simulate robbery scenarios with your employees. It’s crucial to have an idea of what it’s like to be a victim instead of just reading scenarios in books. Training them in a realistic setting makes your employees learn how to recognize signs of impending crime. They can decipher body language, for example, then alert the police before the worst occurs.
5. Keep Low Amounts of Cash in Your Store
Aside from your stocks and inventory, your cash needs utmost protection, too. Keep low amounts of it in your store. If you have to make a bank deposit, do it at different times of the day and on other days of the week. Doing the opposite allows a robber to predict your activities, giving them a chance to commit a crime at a convenient time for them.
Just because your retail store has never been robbed doesn’t mean you’re 100% safe. Without robust security measures, it’s only a matter of time before a robber realizes that your store is an appealing target. Employ deterrents before risking everything you’ve worked for and the safety of your employees.
