Union Square Merchants Concerned with Crime

According to a San Francisco Examiner article of May 12, 2009, Union Square merchants are increasingly concerned about robberies in their upscale shopping district. Although, according to San Francisco Police reports, the robbery rate in the area remains constant at 2 or 3 per month, ONE is 100% too many when it is happening to you.

Robbers are opportunists. If the opportunity is not there, the potential robber will search elsewhere. Prevention is your best crime deterrent. How can you put prevention to work for you?

First and foremost is to show you are not a victim and that you are alert. You can do this in 5 ways. One is to have a security presence frequenting your store. This is especially useful at closing time when most robberies occur. During the closing process, employees are busy and preoccupied with clearing up from the day's operations, preparing for tomorrow's opening, counting cash and recording transactions and turning their minds and possibly conversation to life after work. While this is natural, it takes their consciousness and attention out of the premises and drops their guard at the very time when cash is available and valuable merchandise is less attended than during opening hours. A security patrol circulating throughout the premises in the final hours before closing lets potential criminals know that their risk will be high and their opportunity low. It reminds employees that this is the time of highest vulnerability and it requires continued vigilance.

Second, train employees to make both direct eye contact and verbal contact with each and every person who passes through the front door. This has a dual effect. Research on consumer behavior shows that the more interactions a customer has with staff, the more he or she spends. The second effect is that it sends the message "I know you are here. I see you" to the customer. If a potential robber is posing as a customer, he or she will think twice about criminal activity if they realize they can be identified.

Third, both your trained employees and your security patrol agent will be alert for anyone who appears to be casing the store. Our patrol agents respond immediately to phone calls and walkie-talkie prompts from you, your employees, and each other. Anyone casing the store will be put under immediate surveillance. This demonstrates a security mindedness that will become known within the criminal community.

Fourth, a security patrol agent will accompany you or your key holder employee to the point where night deposits are made and provide safe conduct to transportation.

Fifth, protect your pause point. For legitimate customers, a pause point is a sound merchandising tool. It lets your customer get his or her bearings, see the best and newest of what you have available and prepare his or her mind for shopping in your location. For potential criminals, an unprotected pause point is an easy mark. The best and newest of what you have in stock is artfully arranged right by the front door. It is fast and easy to enter with a large bag, scoop the whole lot into the bag and be out the door and lost in the crowd before you even know you have been hit. This happens more frequently than you want to know about! Make it the responsibility of all employees on the floor to spend some time each shift at or in close vicinity to the pause point. Your security patrol agent also will spend time close to the pause point when on the premises.

In summary, there is a lot you can do to protect your staff, customers, merchandise and premises when you team up with a security patrol agent. Call today to find out more about our services and our people. 415-786-2588.