But snatch thefts seem to be on the rise everywhere, from \u201csteaming\u201d (large groups overwhelming a store) in city centres to machinery being swiped from rural farm shops<\/a>. The cost of this crime \u2013 in terms of lost merchandise and measures to tackle it \u2013 further erodes margins at a time when retailers are battling higher employment costs<\/a> and increases to business rates<\/a>.<\/p>\n Customers, ever squeezed by rising energy bills<\/a>, are becoming doubly impatient: those who are not tempted by grabbable goods are rightly affronted by measures such as sliding shields<\/a> that seem to imply that everyone is a criminal.<\/p>\n But is it possible to make a store thief proof and welcoming to law-abiding clientele?<\/p>\n Discreet high technology is a happy medium. PTZ cameras (pan\/tilt\/zoom, which can be adjusted to track and focus on a single suspect) are one of the most-effective choices. They\u2019re more efficient than fixed-camera CCTV, less controversial than AI surveillance and a serious upgrade on the convex mirror mounted at the end of the aisle in your local corner shop.<\/p>\n PTZ camera manoeuvrability means high-quality facial images, a must-have when trying to build evidence. Freeze-frames can also be used to generate stills that some premises owners choose to turn into warning posters, or share on a chat group with other local businesses.<\/p>\n My advice here is to be wary of GDPR regulations and remember that an incorrect time signature can render recordings inadmissible.<\/p>\n As useful as movable cameras are, they still require a human operator. Hiring guards can feel like a tax on businesses \u2013 but one that goes unpaid at considerable risk.<\/p>\n Ask anyone who lives in a village whether they\u2019d prefer a CCTV camera or a \u201cbobby on the beat\u201d and the answer would be probably unanimously the latter.<\/p>\n The sight of a uniformed officer can be a strong deterrent. However, it comes with an upper limit. For example: if a 3,000 sq metre supermarket can accommodate 40,000 goods and 4,000 daily customers, one guard will not be able to cover it all.<\/p>\n It is also hard to identify which customers might be preparing to swipe something, especially given the rise of \u201cmiddle-class shoplifting\u201d<\/a>. As someone whose job pays just above minimum wage, this is an interesting phenomenon.<\/p>\n I get that inflation presses down on all of us, but people further up the pyramid than me should know it won\u2019t be shareholders or bonus-receiving bosses taking the hit for goods being pinched: it will be prices. Higher costs will further imperil the most vulnerable people who walk on site, the ones who already cannot afford bread or baby formula<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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