Security in Jewelry Stores and Pawn Shops
It is well known that pawn shops and similar stores can be risky businesses; with a large stock of small, valuable objects and large amounts of cash on hand, they make attractive targets for opportunistic thieves. If you have opened a jewelry store, pawn shop, or a similar retail location with many small and valuable objects on display, be sure to consider safety aspects, not only to prevent theft but also to keep your employees out of harm’s way.
It has been shown that the economy also impacts property crimes, particularly burglaries. As the economy slumps, some turn to thievery to get extra cash. Others rob jewelry stores and pawn shops for the thrill. Whatever the reason, you must take steps to protect your business inventory and your employees.
The first step, of course, is to make your business less of a target for burglars. This includes simple steps like adequate outdoor lighting and thick deadbolts on a sturdy door. Depending on the neighborhood, you may opt for bars on the windows. These measures make your store more difficult to break into, and will make many potential thieves decide on a different target.
Cameras are a must-have addition to any retail security strategy, particularly when you have small, valuable items that could easily be stolen. Whether dummy or real, a camera gives potential thieves the appearance that they are being watched. This is a powerful psychological deterrent, and will probably result in would-be thieves choosing an easier target, where they won’t get caught in the act. In this context, security cameras are one of the most effective weapons in preventing theft. These security cameras should be installed both inside and outside your store, near any large groupings of valuable and small items that may have a tendency to “walk away” otherwise.
As far as security systems are concerned, either install a building alarm system, or place door and window alarms on every potential access point. These alarms beep loudly when opened, calling attention to the situation. Similar devices can also be used inside the store. If you have valuable merchandise in glass cases, small alarms can keep the cases from being opened by potential thieves.
Personal alarms have a third use, and that is as ‘panic buttons’ for your employees. If someone threatening comes into the store, they can press this button to alert others. This is particularly helpful if you have employees working in the back of the store, where they may be oblivious to anything going on up front. If there is the potential for all employees to be in the back room at one time, install a door chime to alert you to a customer’s entrance. This is simply a good customer service practice, in addition to preventing people from stealing from your unattended store.
Depending on your overall security strategy, you may want to provide additional methods for your employees to protect themselves. TASER devices, pepper spray, and stun guns all make sensible choices for self defense. While you probably don’t want to arm employees with guns, these devices are non-lethal and easy for anyone to use with very little training or experience. Your employees can remain safely behind the counter while diffusing the threat.
If you don’t want to subject your employees and your expensive jewelry to possible burglaries and theft, you must take steps to install security measures, such as cameras and alarms, along with having a clear plan for how employees should respond to theft, including the possibly of armed burglars.