Johann Kraus, Director of Retail Accounts at Octave, formerly Hexagon’s Safety, Infrastructure & Geospatial division tells Security Journal UK why retailers must rethink security to tackle rising crime in retail.
The British Retail Consortium’s annual assessment of retail crime shows some improvement, yet theft, violence and abuse continue to affect the high street.
Investment in security measures remains high, but the challenge appears to be less about funding and more about better connecting existing efforts.
Ironically, the cloud may be what is needed to bring clarity.
Violence and abuse against shop workers fell by a fifth, but this still equates to 1,600 incidents every day.
The number of cases involving physical violence has not changed, highlighting how far there is to go.
The report also cites 5.5 million shoplifting incidents, costing businesses an estimated £400 million.
This comes at a time when retailers are already under pressure from rising costs and shifting consumer behaviour.
Progress is being made. Retailers have invested approximately £985 million in crime prevention over the past year.
The government has introduced the Retail Crime Action Plan and the forthcoming Policing and Crime Bill, while police forces are prioritising retail crime and adopting new technology, such as digital evidence management systems to streamline the sharing of CCTV and body worn video.
However, only 15% of incidents were reported to the police and just 13% of retailers rated the police response as good or excellent – an improvement on last year’s 9%, but still low.
A major issue is the disconnect between stakeholder initiatives and the diverse mix of organisations within the retail sector, from small independent shops to national chains and hypermarkets.
The British Retail Consortium offers a key recommendation in the report stating: “Retailers must play their part by reporting all incidents, giving the police the full picture.”
The report adds: “By consistently reporting every offence, not just the most serious, this will help ensure that crime data accurately reflects what is happening on the ground, enabling police to allocate resources more effectively and respond more consistently.”
One step retailers of all sizes should consider when planning their crime prevention budgets is shifting focus from hardware – much of which is already in place – to connectivity and accessibility.
Transitioning from fully on premise video systems to cloud-based evidence management with functions that allow evidence to be securely and controllably delivered to recipients aligns with how police forces are beginning to manage digital evidence.
Put simply, few would choose to move from streaming services back to DVDs; the same logic applies to video security.
A secure cloud-based evidence management strategy makes video footage more accessible from any location, internally or when sharing with the police.
For national chains, centralised control rooms can find, review, redact and submit footage rapidly, without involving store staff.
Smaller retailers can simplify their security systems and share footage electronically without disrupting daily operations.
It also reduces the need for police officers to attend stores in person, which most retailers would prefer to avoid.
The challenges highlighted by the British Retail Consortium are not unique to the UK.
Many European retailers, including large international chains, are already adopting cloud first video management to address similar issues.
Reducing retail crime benefits everyone: Retailers, police, local and national authorities, shop workers, supply chains and consumers. Collaboration remains essential.
