printer friendly version

Tips for retail security

Malcolm Thomas

Hi-Tech Security Solutions asked Malcolm Thomas, MD of Transaction Control Technologies (TCT) for some tips on how his company has advised and assisted different retailers in beating crime. Thomas says TCT has been successful in assisting retailers to secure their operations in a number of ways, these include the following.

High value stores selling high value, easily disposable goods (such as jewellery stores), are locations where criminals can mingle with, or masquerade as, serious customers and suddenly start raiding the store. They often threaten/force staff to hand over expensive goods on display (or in safes).

Thomas says a solution is the deployment of SmokeCloak Fog Security Technology which, upon activation through various discreet means, including off site monitoring control rooms, rapidly fills the area with a dense cloud of white harmless and non-contaminating vapour which makes it impossible for the criminals to steal anything and simultaneously shrouds the staff and protects them from physical attack or intimidation. Video footage of real life incidents from all over the world show the perpetrators rapidly fleeing the scene in the same direction from which they entered, leaving the goods intact and the staff unharmed.

These successes here and abroad have resulted in all the major jewellers (and many other businesses facing similar risks) adopting Fog Security such as SmokeCloak as a necessity in securing their business environments.

Larger discount stores often have high valued goods (perfumes etc.) which are sought after by criminals. TCT has successful and proven solutions for protecting these goods against burglaries. The SmokeCloak theft prevention technology is deployed in a concentrated/localised manner, protecting the high value goods within the larger surrounding volume, which thwarts any attempt at stealing the goods, buying time for an armed response to arrive.

Cash offices within the retail stores and teller areas in banks are often targeted by criminal gangs in daytime raids or after-hours burglaries. TCT’s holistic approach to this problem using its Selector Door (Anti-Hostage Door) leading to these areas as well as the SmokeCloak theft prevention technology secures the entire area as well as the staff working there during day-time operations, as well as after-hours. This is done very effectively with many proven success stories.

Shopping malls are often targeted by criminal gangs. A new trend in making the shopping mall environment a safer place for customers – which has been pioneered and strongly promoted by Business Against Crime – is the initiative to remove armed cash-in-transit teams and the risks associated therewith from shopping malls. TCT has comprehensive technology solutions that aid this process and is able to work closely with CIT companies to offer synergistic and cost effective solutions in this regard. These typically include air tube systems for the transportation of cash, TRACcess Systems for the secure and audited control of access to cash in safes, etc, in the replenishment process of cash machines, ATMs etc.

“Securing the retail and cash management environments optimally can only really be achieved when a holistic approach is adopted,” explains Thomas, “utilising the essential elements in operations, manpower and technology. This will result in synergistic and cost-effective solutions that deliver the required results, safely and securely.”

Share this article:

Further reading: