Hanover Police Chief Christopher Knoll says retail crimes are common in the community, and there are tools available to help businesses better protect themselves.
He says in a social media post, “Hanover is a regional hub for our residents and the greater communities that surround us. Retail crimes are becoming a significant issue that impacts the viability of business operations. To date, (this year) the Hanover Police Service has investigated 238 theft complaints with losses to companies in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
Knoll says Hanover police, in partnership with the Toronto Police Service, Workplace Safety & Prevention Services & the Retail Council of Canada has created the Retail Safety & Security Guide.
Tips in the guide include considering options like security cameras and storing the footage for 90 days, using a time-delayed safe, adding surveillance signs outside your building, remove all cash from registers when not in use and leave them empty and open to show potential thieves there is nothing inside them.
They say you may want to treat external windows with a commercial grade film to prevent breakage and keep some lights on inside the building to help with surveillance video quality.
They add if a crime occurs, for example, a robbery, ask witnesses if they are willing to stay and give a statement to police.
They also outline what kinds of crimes should be reported online, without having to call a police officer to the scene in-person.
There are many more tips in the guide. You can find it here: https://www.retailcouncil.org/retail-safety-and-security-guide-ontario/