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.