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Why
Use CCTV?
CCTV should not be perceived as a magic wand for preventing
crime - it is just another crime prevention tool from a long list
available to a business. There are many reasons why CCTV is the
most cost effective security solution. In our experience we have
found that most businesses suffer from the same few security
problems.
Shoplifting.
Shoplifting has reached epidemic proportions in the UK. Every day
your profits are simply walking out of the door, resulting in
higher prices and lost sales. Given the right opportunity, even the
most innocent looking person will steal. Even the smallest retail
outlets report up to £100 in losses each month due to
shoplifting.
Staff
Collusion.
Even your most trusted staff may be guilty of stealing your
profits. It is a fact that a single employee can eat, drink and
smoke their way through approximately £100 of profit every month.
Multiply that by the number of employees, you are losing £££?s
Sweet
Hearting.
As the name implies, many employees will let you do their friends a
favour when you aren't there. It's difficult to detect because
usually a part of the sale is rung up to make it look like an
innocent transaction. Many of our customers have reported that they
used to lose up to £300 per month from friends of employees.
Staff
Protection.
Are you doing enough to ensure the safety of your employees both
inside and outside of your business? If a robbery results in an
employee being injured or even murdered, are you prepared to defend
yourself from the inevitable industrial injuries claim.
Statistics point to major reductions in the amount of crime
being committed where there are cameras installed. An article in
'New Scientist' magazine showed that simply installing a system can
reduce crime, in the areas covered, by over 95%.
Generally, once a Camera system is installed, it will only be
fools who attempt to perpetrate offences within its field of view.
These are often caught but for the majority it will provide a very
high level of deterrence. A professionally installed camera system
can reduce shoplifting by up to 90%.
Almost 80% of theft is attributable to customers or staff, with
customers accounting for the largest amount.
14,000 shop staff were attacked last year with 106,000 being
threatened with violence.
Most people considering the installation of a CCTV system have
the main objective of trying to prevent crime.
A properly installed and managed CCTV system can dramatically
reduce crime levels. Drops as high as 90% have been recorded where
a highly visible CCTV system has been installed in certain
locations, i.e. in shopping centres and car parks.
In small to medium-sized businesses, CCTV cameras acts as a
deterrent. However, the initial cost and complexity of good quality
systems have been barriers for many businesses. The cost of
equipment has fallen steadily over the years. Today, good quality
systems can be much cheaper and still provide exceptional
operational simplicity.
And
it will pay for itself very rapidly!
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