Man Shoplifting Something Into His Backpack In A StoreShoplifting is a big problem in many large cities across the country. Many retail outlets are struggling to prevent shoplifting, as well as to apprehend shoplifters. Convenience stores in particular are a big target for shoplifting, as well as robberies. The number of shoplifting incidents at a given store won’t decrease on its own without effort. Nor can you wait for shoplifters to start getting caught. 

You need to act to keep your store and products safe from theft. Fortunately there are proven ways to make a difference using deliberate planning and action are required on the part of the retailer. 

Here are some common sense measures you can take today to reduce the risk of people shoplifting at your store. 

How to Prevent Shoplifting at Your Store

The biggest reason a shoplifter steals is because they have the opportunity. If a criminal walks into a shop that’s poorly lit, with no guards and easy access to the merchandise, they are much more likely to take a chance and try to steal something. Deterrence and the appearance of safety go a long way towards reducing shoplifting.

Clear lighting, display cases and highly visible security cameras will deter criminals from acting. Placing large mirrors at the back of the store and on the walls will also make it easier for you to see what is going on. But nothing is more effective than uniformed guards on duty at your shop. 

Ranger Guard officers are always outfitted in the style of uniforms which police officers wear, sending a strong message of authority to any potential shoplifters. Our offices can be armed or unarmed, depending on the needs of your specific location. Guards are just a small part of our loss prevention strategy, which includes agents assessing your employees to monitor inventory flow and catch leaks before they impact your profits. We also provide plain clothes loss-prevention agents to patrol the shop floor during retail hours and catch thieves in the act, for example taking clothing from racks and bundling it into a bag.

Why Stores Fail to Prevent Shoplifting

Many stores rely too much on law enforcement to prevent theft. While ultimately it’s the job of the legal system to arrest and punish criminals, our police services are stretched thin and cannot be everywhere at once. If you do need to call the police, by the time they arrive it may already be too late. That means it is your responsibility as a business owner to ensure your store is protected. 

Fortunately you can do that by hiring a reputable security company such as Ranger Guard to take care of your security. Businesses often try to avoid paying for security guards thinking it is an unnecessary expense. Often these same businesses find themselves losing many times what a security budget would cost in stolen inventory. Losing even a handful of expensive items to theft can easily turn a good month of sales from a profit into a loss. 

How Security Guards Prevent Shoplifting

Security Guards provide deterrence first and foremost. There is nothing more likely to make a criminal think twice before taking an item than a uniformed security guard staring them down when they enter the shop. We prioritize hiring security guards who are law enforcement or military veterans, with the field experience to handle difficult situations. We then train them in first aid, patrolling, verbal deescalation tactics, firearms, defensive tactics and patrol techniques, criminal law, anti-terrorism security procedures, evacuation methods, Patrolling and Surveillance, and Crowd and Access Control. To make sure all our guards are the highest quality, we conduct rigorous background checks and drug tests on all recruits. 

Finally we train all our guards in customer service, since we know that courteous, kind and calm security guards reflect well on our clients and improve the customer experience. At Ranger Guard we believe that an effective shoplifting policy can also be pleasant for the customer. 

What Can Retailers Do to Prevent Shoplifting?

As a retailer, security services are your best resource for both preventing shoplifting and apprehending those who do shoplift. By hiring an experienced security team to take care of reducing shoplifting business owners can focus on their retail operations and have peace of mind that their product is being guarded. 

There are a number of loss prevention strategies companies like Ranger Guard use to assist retailers. One is to provide a more welcoming environment for customers, which has been shown to reduce shoplifting. Security services also assist retailers in discovering problem areas and risk factors within their store, to minimize the opportunity thieves have to steal. Security services also help retailers identify and apprehend shoplifters, with minimal disruption to the store’s staff and customers. When it comes to catching shoplifters, discretion is key. These precautions have been shown to reduce thefts at retail locations by as much as 20%. Ranger Guard can also implement common sense alarm and tagging systems so that you will be alerted as soon as an item goes missing. 

Before anyone enters your store with intent to steal, our Retail Loss Prevention Services officers can provide personnel safety and asset protection to your facility. This starts with an overhaul of your strengths and weaknesses. Ranger Guard security consultants identify potential hazards where customer and employee theft can take place. This helps us to create an atmosphere that helps control losses and external shrink. 

Because shoplifting is a problem that results in higher prices for consumers, retailers know they need to do everything possible to curb the problem. Using our retail uniformed security officers as well as experienced loss prevention associates, our guards are able to safely apprehend offenders with little or no disruption to the place of business and its customers and employees. Call Ranger Guard today to schedule your free security consultation.