Shoplifting, property damage, smash and grabs and other crimes are on the rise in Edmonton. It has gotten so bad that downtown business owners are locking doors to control who comes in and reducing opening hours. 

Now more than ever, retail stores in Edmonton need to ensure they have a robust security solution in place.

It isn’t just downtown businesses that are seeing these rises in crime. Business owners in Edmonton’s Chinatown are also concerned about the increased criminal activity they have been experiencing. Earlier this year, cameras caught someone smashing the windows of several businesses with a hammer. 

There’s a call for better police patrolling and authorities recognize there’s a need for solutions. But while business owners wait for help to come, they are finding it necessary to take crime control into their own hands. 

And while we agree that business owners should make safety and security a top priority, it needs to be done the right way … otherwise it could result in greater losses, and safety could be put at risk. 

So what can you do to help protect your business without putting yourself, your employees or your business at further risk? Here are 13 tips: 

1. Ensure all entries to your store are properly secured when not in use.
2. Train your staff to understand the warning signs of crime and how to respond.
3. Avoid clutter and blind spots in your stores – criminals are less likely to shoplift if they know you can easily see them.
4. Limit the number of people who can be in your store at once.
5. Greet customers as they enter so that they know you are aware they are in the store.
6. Use bright lighting inside and outside of your store.
7. Have additional staff on site during peak hours and avoid having staff work alone late at night.
8. Make sure you are properly insured.
9. Secure high-ticket items with extra measures such as managed access control.
10. Minimize the amount of cash you hold in your store.
11. Install break-resistant glass on doors/windows and metal gates that can be rolled out each night.
12. Screen all new staff using criminal checks, reference checks and a thorough interview process.
13. Get to know other local business owners and help each other by watching out for each other’s businesses and suspicious activity.

More importantly, you will want to consider investing in a proper security system: 

#1 - Get a professional free commercial security audit

Nobody is expecting you to be an expert in security protocol – after all, your expertise is your business. 

That’s why you should reach out to a security expert to undertake a free commercial security audit of your retail premises. That way you will be able to learn about your property’s security weaknesses, with no obligation to purchase a security solution.

#2 - Invest in a high-quality fire detection system

Whether a malicious attack or an accident, a fire in your store could completely ruin your business. That’s why you should have a system in place that detects potential fires early and verifies that they are real for fast action by authorities. The faster you act the more likely you will be able to prevent loss.

The Sonitrol Fire Detection System monitors smoke and heat detectors, sprinkler monitoring devices and pull stations, quickly dispatching emergency personnel to your facility once a fire threat is verified as real. 

#3 - Integrate managed access control into your premises

Do you have valuable assets in your retail store, a room you keep surplus stock in or even a safe with spare cash? It’s important that you properly secure these high-value rooms from both employees and the public. 

Managed access control will limit access to these areas to permitted employees. You can assign different levels of access to staff and see exactly who was in which room at which time through in-depth reporting analytics.

#4 - Install panic buttons 

Panic buttons are a great option for emergencies that could happen when staff are present. That’s because panic buttons can save valuable time and get authorities to your property even faster in an emergency. 

By having panic buttons installed under counters and desks, you can help protect staff and avoid potentially harmful confrontations. 

#5 - Install a verified security solution

Get rid of that traditional CCTV security system and replace it with a verified alarm system. Rather than recording a crime as it happens like traditional CCTV, verified alarms are monitored by security experts in a central monitoring station who can verify if the threat is real and contact the authorities if there is a crime in progress. 

For more information on developing a comprehensive security plan for your business, featuring full-monitored audio and video surveillance, contact us today.