RETAIL – THE SECURITY CHALLENGE Why we are not to call them


Shoplifters We must refer to them as non-paying customers


T


his is the directive from the head of one of the UK’s large homeware retail chains and the sentiment within the statement dictates their approach to security.


Nick Fisher, the newly appointed CEO of Facewatch, said: “Our work with businesses is showing that just ten per cent of low-level crime is reported and only five per cent is solved, which means that businesses of all sizes are paying a high price for rising petty criminal activity, and there is growing apathy among victims.” he added.


In an internal memo for one large retail organisation, their security staff have been told to stop the use of the Civil Recovery Process against shoplifters as “the income derived from the process outweighs the direct cost incurred”. Their policy is to “deter shoplifters through active, polite and friendly customer service”.


However, according to the BRC report, it is


not just shoplifting that is affecting the retail sector. Violence and abuse against retail staff is up 40 per cent from last year’s figures and this is a major area of concern.


Shoplifting and potential violence are only two of the issues affecting the retail environment. Over 5 per cent of the losses in the UK, some £36 million of costs were associated with cybercrime. This, according to the British Retail Consortium’s cyber tool kit, was the result of 5.8 million fraud and computer misuse incidents. And when related to cybercrime overall, the Centre for Risk Studies say it represents 4 per cent of all UK cybercrime.


Bridging the cyber, shoplifter gap in retail crime is the insider threat. In a recent interview with a newly appointed retail store manager, she said, “In every store I have ever worked in there is always a member of staff ‘on the fiddle’, and if you think it isn’t happening, it just means you haven’t caught them yet.”


29 per cent of retailers reported that their business had seen an increase in malicious insider incidents in the past two years.


All respondents suffered theft by employees in 2015-16. Additionally, there was a notable rise in cyber-related criminality at the hands of employees, suppliers, contractors or others with inside access.


The final threat to retail security is the terrorist threat. Brought into sharp focus by the 2013 siege in the Westgate Mall in Nairobi, we then had the 2015 siege in the Hyper Cacher supermarket in Paris. In London, Mohammed Rehman and his wife were arrested for planning an attack on either a London shopping centre or the Tube.


This year there were two arrested for planning an attack on a shopping centre in the German city of Essen and then we had the horrific truck attack along a shopping street in Stockholm before it swerved into Sweden's largest department store, Åhléns City. Retail is at the front edge of the terrorist threat.


This all-encompassing security environment that is retail is certainly challenging and will form the backbone of some of the debates and discussions at Olympia on 29 and 30th November at the UK Security Expo.


Can you afford to miss it? www.uksecurityexpo.com


Philip Ingram Launch of a new Professional Register for Certified Technical Security Professionals I


nstallers of security and alarm systems in the UK are currently not subject to any formal


regulation and have no discernible sector recognition – this can lead to end users being exposed to the risks associated with unqualified and unsuitable operators.


One possible solution is the Professional Register for Certified Technical Security Professionals (CTSP), launched in early September for those who install and maintain electronic security systems. This initiative from Tavcom Training aims to provide a benchmark for employers, contractors and, importantly, end users, with a means to check the competence and bona fides of practitioners.


A group of subject matter experts have agreed the criteria qualifying registrants for admittance onto the CTSP Register. These include being able to demonstrate a minimum of 12 months’ practical experience, a minimum level 3 BTEC/City & Guilds qualification (or equivalent) in one or more technical disciplines such as CCTV, Access Control, Fire, Intrusion and Hold-up Alarm Systems. Registrants must provide two character references and no criminal convictions for dishonesty, assault or sexual


© CITY SECURITY MAGAZINE – AUTUMN 2017


crimes. Registrants are required to maintain CPD (Continual Professional Development) and conform to a strict code of ethics and disciplinary procedure.


The Professional Register is available online to anyone wishing to check if someone is registered and confirm the technical disciplines they are qualified in.


The Registrar, Kevin Matthew, commented: ‘’The industry has for many years expressed concerns over the absence of any meaningful controls and problems associated with unqualified installers and maintainers of security systems. We have developed what we believe to be a robust Professional Register, which will have a significant impact on raising industry standards. We are delighted the register has been endorsed by the UK’s largest security association, the BSIA, and Dubai’s Security Industry Regulatory Agency.”


David Wilkinson, the BSIA’s Director of Technical Services, commented: ‘’We are very pleased to see this innovative register that recognises many of our security systems members. In such a challenging technical environment, it is more important than ever


www.citysecuritymagazine.com


to demonstrate the professionalism of the personnel that represent our market sector.’’


For the individual registering, this does involve a small application fee (£25) and an annual registration fee (£50), but the CTSP Register is one way for individuals installing or maintaining security and fire systems to be recognised for the experience, competence and qualifications they possess. Time will tell if the CTSP raises professional standards in the industry and reduces the increasing number of ‘rogue traders’.


The CTSP Register is open for applications via www.CTSP.org.uk


> 19


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36