Feeling a little stressed lately?
Fear not. Jewelers aren't the only ones who feel the pressure of capitalizing on holiday sales — pretty much every other type of retailer goes to great lengths to take advantage of the year-end shopping rush.
When it comes down to crime prevention, however, jewelry store security needs to be viewed through a different lens.
Thieves who target jewelry aren't your everyday shoplifters looking to do their holiday shopping for free. They are often experienced criminals who know that certain weak points are exposed when November and December roll around.
Address these four security concerns to avoid any crimes that could occur in relation to the busy holiday shopping season.
You've Hired New Staff
Many questions can arise after you have hired new employees:
- Are they trustworthy, or do they present a risk of internal theft or an employment practices lawsuit?
- Are they well-trained on security procedures?
A staffing company can help you with selection, but you're basically on your own to train them on the ins and outs of your business. When it comes to familiarizing your new associates with your security plan, enrolling them in JM University® can make the training process easier.
You're Holding More Inventory
This presents a twofold opportunity for criminals because they have more merchandise to target and they know that an expanded inventory is harder to manage, making thefts go unnoticed for longer.
If they are able to steal a few items on one occasion with relative ease, they may try coming back again for a second or third attempt.
Aside from practicing procedural security to a tee, your jewelry store's security will benefit from:
- reviewing surveillance footage on a daily basis to detect possible sneak, switch, or distraction thefts, and informing your associates of the circumstances of the crime; and
- performing daily case counts to ensure all of your inventory is accounted for.
Your Hours Are Different
Jewelry businesses are 24/7 crime targets, but thefts are much more common than burglaries. That means your longer hours leave you more susceptible to crimes like grab-and-runs.
Don't forget that openings and closings are still the most dangerous times for jewelry businesses. These are the hours when many smash-and-grab robberies occur.
*Jewelers Security Alliance, 2015 Annual Crime Report
To prevent these crimes (and burglaries when you are closed), make sure every staff member is clear on:
Remember to inform your local police department about your changed hours so they can respond accordingly, too.
Your Customers Are Dressed for Cold Weather
- what the new hours are,
- who is responsible for security during those times,
- and what procedures they need to abide by.
A customer wearing a coat in July is an obvious suspicious incident, but it's probably the expected winter attire for most people in North America. This means that your entire staff needs to be extra vigilant when it comes to recognizing peculiar behavior in order to avoid sneak, switch, or distraction thefts.
Be sure to greet all customers as they enter your business and provide assistance to them as they shop. Also, examine every item of merchandise after a customer has handled it, verifying that the item was not swapped for a counterfeit.
Additionally, if your location can accommodate some extra space, consider setting up a coat room where customers can securely leave their belongings as they shop. This includes bags from previous shopping trips, which otherwise can easily be used to conceal stolen merchandise.
