Securing High-Risk Assets in Retail: The Role of Advanced Security Systems 

Surveillance systems may help catch thieves in the act but they aren’t guaranteed to stop them, and criminals have grown bolder as a result.

According to the National Retail Federation’s 2023 survey, losses from retail theft surged 19 percent to $112.1 billion in 2022, up from $93.9 billion the prior year. Jewelry theft alone recently hit a 13-year high, and so-called “smash-and-grab” crimes that typically target luxury stores are making national headlines for driving annual losses from retail crime to $100 billion.

Though virtually everything is up for grabs, thieves have a penchant for stealing high-value items with easy resale potential: electronics, jewelry, tobacco, pharmaceuticals, guns, and more. Purveyors of these items have historically relied on standard security cameras, but capturing footage of a crime without the ability to intervene and prevent theft as it’s occurring is “knee-high security” at best.

Given the escalation of retail crime, safeguarding high-risk inventory demands more advanced security systems capable of actively intervening to prevent theft in real time.

Standard Security Shortcomings

The main drawback with traditional surveillance solutions is that they're not built for deterrence.

At best, these setups serve as passive detection systems which not only lull shop owners into a false sense of security, but can also discourage them from installing additional countermeasures. Considering that police response times to burglaries in many cities across the U.S. have also slowed due to staffing shortages, passive security solutions also give thieves ample time to escape with stolen goods before law enforcement is able to arrive on the scene.

The network infrastructure of these solutions also isn’t durable enough to protect against sophisticated thefts. For instance, many systems rely heavily on electricity and Wi-Fi, creating blind spots thieves can easily manipulate.

Proactive Intervention

There are several proactive measures retailers can leverage to prevent crime, each with varying degrees of intervention.

Though securing high-risk assets with high-quality locks and barred windows can be an effective preventative theft strategy, business owners can go a step further to equip properties with a security system that emits a loud siren or warning to scare off burglars when suspicious activity is detected. Retailers can even leverage artificial intelligence-enhanced systems that ascertain intent or flag known offenders upon entry. Other solutions might utilize digital security guards to issue personalized warnings designed to spook intruders into fleeing.

For even more active intervention, fog-generating security systems can fill a room with a dense fog to disorient intruders and force them off store premises before they can commit a crime. These systems offer immediate deterrence and can be deployed as standalone devices or integrated into existing security setups, providing flexibility across various scenarios. Other benefits include system monitoring — either self or professional options, and the flexibility to daisy-chain units to cover multiple rooms and larger areas. The added feature of running without wall power or Wi-Fi also thwarts criminals’ latest efforts to bypass security measures.

Such simple and cost-effective measures empower business owners to thwart crimes themselves without relying solely on a rapid response from first responders. For those with larger budgets and more acute security concerns, hiring actual security guards is a tried-and-true method experiencing a renaissance in urban areas.

Caught Red-Handed

Standard surveillance systems are inadequate to safeguard high-value goods. To curb the immense financial losses retail theft continues to generate, business owners should consider augmenting passive security systems with real-time intervention to thwart brazen intrusions and sophisticated theft tactics.

Brick-and-mortar security must do more than record crime in action: new advanced security systems must actively serve as first responders, deterring crime and compelling criminals to flee before thefts can occur.

Stephen Burd is vice president of security solutions at Essence Group, a global provider of IoT-connected living and cybersecurity solutions for communication, security, and healthcare service providers.