Vancouver police have released some discomforting details about the number of thefts in the downtown core of Vancouver, highlighting just how important effective security solutions are for businesses in the city.

Following a month-long anti-shoplifting campaign that focused on Vancouver’s downtown core, police arrested almost 200 offenders and recovered more than $75,000 in stolen property.

In total, Vancouver police investigated 323 incidents, 23 of which involved a weapon, made 195 arrests, recommended 330 criminal charges and recovered $75,052 in merchandise and seized 35 weapons. 

“Business owners and their staff continue to struggle with prolific, and often violent thieves, who seem to think they can steal with impunity,” commented Sergeant Steve Addison in a press release.

“Since November 4, a dedicated group of VPD officers has worked directly with retail staff in the downtown core to identify and apprehend shoplifters. The results are alarming.”

So, with that in mind, how can your Vancouver-based business enhance its security solutions and better protect your property, employees and future operations from the threat of theft, vandalism and other crimes?

We’ve listed just five things you can to do to improve your security measures:

• Invest in a verified security solution

Verified security is a way to truly secure your premises, moving beyond the capabilities of traditional CCTV security systems. Unlike CCTV systems that simply record thefts as they occur, verified alarms monitor your property for criminal activity.

Video or audio feeds are sent to a security expert in a 24/7 central monitoring station, who is able to verify if an alarm is real and immediately alert the police with real-time updates. As a result of verification, verified security solutions have incredibly fast police response times and mitigate the risk of false alarms - leading to far greater chances of apprehension. 

• Partner with local businesses to keep an eye on activity

Vancouver Police have a crime prevention program named Block Watch, which is based on a partnership between the police and members of the community who work together to prevent crime in their neighborhoods. 

If you haven’t already, consider signing your business up for the Block Watch crime prevention program. Alternatively, you can simply team up with local businesses to keep an eye on unusual activity in your area. This will help ensure others have an eye on your business, even when you aren’t actually at your premises. 

• Make sure to diligently track your inventory

It’s not just thieves on the outside that you should be wary of. Employee theft has long been a huge problem for businesses, and it can be easy to get away with since your employees have access to all the rooms where you keep your assets.

To prevent theft from occurring, make sure you're accurately tracking your inventory. Not only is this important when it comes to preventing employee theft, inventory management is also an important component of improving your company’s profitability. What’s to lose!

• Place security signs on your property

The best way to prevent crime is to deter criminals away from your property before they even try to enter it, strategically placing security signs around your property of a well-known security company can help do just that. 

For example, Sonitrol has helped police departments apprehend more than 750,000 criminals. That means our brand is known in prisons. Experienced thieves that see a Sonitrol sign on a business will look elsewhere. 

• Provide excellent customer service

There’s a strong correlation between high rates of disgruntled customers and high rates of vandalism and break-end-enters for business properties. That means simply providing great customer service can help minimize the threat of theft and vandalism for your company. By making sure your employees are attentive and helpful to customers, you can deter potential shoplifters and vandals.

Interested in learning more about better securing your Vancouver business? Get in touch with Sonitrol Western Canada today for a free security plan for your property.