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Preventing closed store crime

A store’s exposure to crime does not diminish when the store is closed. On the contrary, as night falls, criminals are on the move looking for the best crime opportunity. This period of time is, in fact, critical as owners generally rely only on the presence of physical barriers and electronic security systems for the protection of their stores.

While stores situated inside shopping complexes are usually less at risk than those which are street front, this is not always the case, as there have been instances of heavy losses suffered during after-hours burglaries. Although the presence of preventative measures at shopping complexes such as armed guards, security patrols and CCTV systems are undoubtedly a deterrent for most criminals, they do not seem to be able to stop a determined effort by a group of professional criminals.

Crime typology

When closed, commercial stores can be attacked in many different ways such as:

* 'Three-minute burglaries', this being the average time needed by the criminals to complete the burglary, involve attacking a glass front door or a window at night and then smashing a display case and stealing merchandise left out of safes or vaults. This type of criminal has little concern about the alarm system or the type of safe on the premises as they intend to be gone before any reaction is made to the alarm signal. In the United States, this type of burglary represents nearly 75% of all the burglary events in the jewellery industry and causes an average reported loss of $62 000 (Jewelers' Security Alliance, 1999). The most common points of entry are front doors and windows.

* Ramming, ie, driving into a store by smashing the front windows or doors has also been a practice used by criminals in an attempt to gain access to valuable merchandise.

* 'Safecracking', ie, burglaries committed with the intent of attacking a safe and stealing its contents, while not eliminated as a risk for store owners, makes up for a very small percentage of closed store crimes. Safecrackers generally prefer to enter a store by making a hole in an adjacent unprotected wall, ceiling or floor. This type of crime is, according to local and international reports, decreasing as a result of the high security safes and alarm systems installed by store owners who feel most at risk, eg, jewellers.

Robbery is not frequent during closing time, but always represents a threat to store owners. Criminals may in fact decide to take them (or family members) hostage, while travelling or when at home and force them back to the store. Hence the importance of maintaining a high level of alertness and security at home.

Crime reduction strategies

To reduce the risks for a closed store crime to occur, the following reduction strategies are recommended:

* Removing high value items: when closing for business high value items should be removed from show windows in order to avoid attracting the attention of would-be thieves.

* Safes and vaults: store as much merchandise as possible in insurance approved burglary and fire resistant safes and vaults. Time locks on safes and vaults, which allow opening only at specified times, can be considered as an added source of protection. The existence of this measure should, however, be adequately advertised. Making use of different safes for high value merchandise can also reduce potentially heavy losses.

* Exterior and interior lighting: this is essential, as it remains one of the most effective deterrents against burglary, theft and armed robbery. Lights should be positioned at strategic points and exterior lights should be protected against deliberate damage.

* Visibility: in order to increase the deterrent value of lights, the internal area of the store should be clearly visible from outside. It is therefore necessary to remove or rearrange anything that may obstruct good visibility inside the store.

* Environmental obstacles: street-front stores should be protected against ramming by means of environmental obstacles such as heavy flowerpots or other types of barrier. Local authorities should, however, be consulted prior to the installation or positioning of these measures.

* Grates, bars and gates: the installation of rolling grates, iron bars and gates on the inside of all windows and doors should be considered. These barriers will act as a further deterrent against criminals by delaying their efforts and increasing their risk of apprehension. This is particularly important in the case of street-front stores which are very vulnerable to criminal attacks.

* Windows and doors: all glass should be strengthened with insurance approved burglary-resistant glazing material (security films). If properly installed, this film bonds with the glass to form an invisible barrier that defends against the most violent of blows and is particularly effective in preventing smash and grab or three minute burglaries. This is, however, not effective if the windows or doors frames are not sufficiently strong to sustain repeated blows.

* Security systems: intruder detection and CCTV systems are extremely important not only as a deterrent but also as an additional line of defence against a determined criminal effort to gain access to the store. In order for these systems to be effective, however, they should be installed by insurance approved installers and adequately maintained. Store owners should also test the systems as frequently as possible.

* Intruder detection system: this should incorporate detectors for perimeter protection (doors and windows) such as glass breaking detectors and magnetic door contacts, both extremely important for an early detection of criminal activities, as well as detectors for the volumetric protection (internal, ie, store and safe/strongroom areas), such as single passive infrared or dual passive infrared/microwave detectors, which help minimise false alarms. A panic system by means of fixed switches and portable transmitters should be installed at strategic positions. An interesting device, which can find suitable application in commercial stores dealing with high value merchandise is the smoke screen system which can be incorporated into an existing alarm system.

Once activated, this system, within seconds, fills a small area with a thick but non-toxic smoke, thus preventing criminals from seeing and forcing them to flee.

* Alarm transmission: in order to maximise security, there should be two ways of transmitting alarm signals to a central security control room, ie, by radio and by telephone. Never take an alarm signal for granted by assuming it is a false alarm. If the alarm system malfunctions have it checked immediately by a trusted technician; alarm systems are often sabotaged by criminals prior to a burglary or a smash and grab crime.

* Link up: the alarm system should be linked up to a reputable security company with its own control room and a visible operational presence in the area where the store is situated.

* CCTV system: colour closed circuit television cameras should be considered in order to record all who enter the store and the most vulnerable areas. To increase the chances of video evidence being used to get a conviction, it is necessary to use good quality equipment and recordings need to be date and time stamped. Cameras should be installed at an adequate position in order to get a clear picture of persons and events.

Conclusion

After-hours crime against commercial stores can cause significant losses. In fact, in certain instances, a lifetime's work can be taken away in just a few minutes. However, through the application of specific preventative strategies, much can be done by store owners to protect their businesses against this type of crime. All the strategies discussed above should, however, be considered in the context of an important decision, ie, making sure that an adequate insurance protection is in place.

Elio Zannoni

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