With a large number of retail chains already having been hit by malware incidents in 2017, it’s no wonder that retailers are rushing to implement modern security solutions.
The consequences of not doing so can be potentially devastating, but it’s not just online where retailers need to maximise protection. Manned guarding is widely recognised as one of the most traditional security measures, however, the role has become far more advanced and multi-faceted.
With the rise in high street shop thefts, undercover shoplifting and even armed robbery, security guards on the ground will always be a highly effective deterrent for would-be criminals. But with criminal activity and innovation evolving every day, what’s actually changing?
One of the most significant new areas of retail guarding is surveillance monitoring. As technology continues to advance, so too does the equipment used by law enforcement agencies – and this can make identifying suspects much more straightforward. Of course, there are also many benefits AI advances such as machine learning that helps identify suspicious behaviour almost instantly – just imagine how helpful this could be during an active shooter scenario! Another area where modern surveillance techniques stand out is facial recognition – once again proving itself invaluable when it comes to helping to identify suspects as quickly as possible.
This area of retail security is definitely on the rise and it’s not hard to see why. In the UK, there were 455 incidents of violence or abuse towards shopworkers each day in 2019/20, up 7% from 2018/19. The data reveals that the total cost to retailers of crime and crime prevention was £2.5bn, an increase of 14% on the previous year.
Robbery, the most costly crime to retailers, was up 7% to 32,845 incidents at a cost of £224m. It is also worth mentioning that over 104 million working days were lost due to violence or abuse towards workers in UK high streets and retail outlets.
Sounds awful, doesn’t it! However this isn’t all bad news as on the upside these statistics are merely down slightly from the previous year so hopefully, this means that people are starting to take matters into their own hands by investing in more security or even just being more aware of what’s going around them. of course, investing in SIA licenced guards to protect your premises is going to increase safety, and security for your shop, products, staff and buildings. You don’t have to spend an arm and a leg either, because many security firms can step in to assist, brooding the guards whenever you need them, rather than you having to employ a guard and commit to high costs initially.
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