Retailers are exposed to a great many types of crime from theft and fraud to threats of violence to physical harm. Top of the list of what makes convenience stores a target of crime is cast and high value products like tobacco. It is too easy to think you are safe because you don’t think you will be a victim. I know this from personal experience . I thought we were safe, but clearly we were not.
I was delighted to find that Better Retailing’s Australian contributor, Mark Fletcher recently highlighted the Victoria Police Business Security Tool Kit on his Australian Newsagency Blog. This is a very usable guide for any business. I have to say that my local force never offered anything of this detail.
The tool kit covers pretty much every threat there is to a business in an easy to use format. Topics covered are how to respond to aggressive people, armed robbery, safe cash handling, closed circuit television (CCTV), electronic crime (E-Crime), fraud, personal safety and much else.
Completing the business risk self-assessment document would be a useful exercise to undertake prior to inviting your local crime prevention office to your premises. Any owner/manager who gathers this level of detail about their business will gain a significant insight in to their capacity to avoid becoming a victim of crime.
This is an Australian document so the emergency phone number and websites it contains are aimed at Australian businesses. We have listed a few of the equivalent UK websites that you may find useful.
UK Emergency Service telephone number 999
Crime Stoppers 0800 555 111 https://crimestoppers-uk.org/
Health & Safety Executive http://www.hse.gov.uk/
Home Office https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office
Police http://www.online.police.uk/forces.htm
Trading Standards https://www.gov.uk/find-local-trading-standards-office
Victim Support http://www.victimsupport.org.uk/
Check out our previous security posts:
Security Matters: Protect your store part one.
Security Matters: Protect your store part two.
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