The Holiday Season is now in full swing, which means lots of people are out buying gifts.

But with the good comes the bad. The more shoppers in malls and stores also means more shoplifters.

Retail crime comes with a heavy cost: shoplifting and employee theft cost Canadian retailers #3.6 billion per year, according the Retail Council of Canada.

If you own a retail business, then follow our tips below to protect your establishment and bottom line.

Best tips to secure your retail assets

Ensure that your staff are trained

Having your staff educated on theft prevention goes a long way, and they will know certain behaviour patterns in order to detect suspicious activity among shoppers and even fellow employees.

 Closely screen new employees

Employee theft is a huge problem for businesses in Toronto, across the GTA and Canada, so performing a thorough background check with your local law enforcement agency on new employees is a must to keep your assets secured.

Use video surveillance technology

Video surveillance technology is like that extra set of eyes your business needs: it helps mitigate theft and also helps identify criminals who you can catch in the act, or report to the police.

Put up security signs

Theft prevention signs are common at places of business and are effective as they emphasize the punishments for shoplifting.

Hire a security guard firm

Having security guards at your retail business will definitely help reduce shoplifting. Guards will watch for suspicious activity, act as a deterrent for crime, and will monitor your video surveillance system, as well as monitor and control access and stop other incidents from escalating.

Regal is here to help protect your retail business

Regal has been in business now for 15 years and we are a leading security guard firm based in Toronto.

Our guards are trained to help protect retail businesses across Toronto and the GTA, so call on us for help. We offer innovative security solutions that will keep your people, property and assets safe.