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Video Surveillance
for Hardware Stores and Home Improvement Centers
Because of the
safety issues inherently involved with their inventory, video surveillance is
a great security tool for hardware stores. A system of security cameras can
help keep employees and customers of hardware stores safe, while protecting
both the physical structure, as well as the inventory, from theft and other
dangers.
Benefits of Home
Center Security Cameras
- Prevent
theft Thefts of bricks, wire, pipes and other building supplies
commonly found at hardware stores has increased in recent years due to a huge
boom in worldwide development and increased demand for raw materials. Hardware
stores, like construction sites, have suffered from thefts of copper and other
building supplies. A security camera system in a hardware store can help prevent
theft of these valuable materials and other inventory
- Protect
customers Many types of merchandise available at hardware stores
(power tools, lumber and can be extremely dangerous if handled incorrectly.
The best way to prevent serious accidents from happening is to control access
to the tools. However, a video surveillance camera near protected or especially
dangerous tools can help investigate accidents and serve as valuable evidence
in liability cases.
- Remote
viewing A security system with modern IP cameras has the capability
of transmitting footage over the internet at any time. Some systems even give
you the option of sending alerts when a disturbance is detected. This is a
key advantage for hardware stores that have suffered from theft problems in
the past. Owners and security managers can receive text messages or e-mails
at any time of day or night with a security alert and act on it then, rather
than waiting until the morning.
Risks of Video
Surveillance at Home Improvement Centers
- Privacy
Respect the privacy of your employees and customers by keeping surveillance
cameras in public areas and out of restrooms and break rooms.
- Damage
Cameras installed on a hardware store sales floor or in a store room can
be damaged by shifting merchandise.
- Vandalism
Outdoor cameras may be damaged by vandals, thieves trying to cover their
tracks, or inclement weather. A damaged camera may interfere or impede overall
security
- Over-reliance
While security cameras and video surveillance are certainly valuable security
technologies, they should not be used as a security "crutch." Security cameras
should work in tandem with another type of security like access control, guards,
or a security monitoring service in order to provide the maximum amount of
building security.
Configuration
of Security Cameras at Hardware Stores
A hardware store
can be a small independently owned store in a downtown, or a sprawling mega-mart
type setup, or anything in between. A hardware store's security needs vary widely
based on a wide variety of factors, so consider the following when looking into
installing video surveillance in a hardware store:
- Do you think
that your neighborhood contributes or is detrimental
to your overall security?
- What type of
security system do you currently have in place?
- What do you
consider to be your biggest security problem?
- What types
of security problems have you had in the past year?
- How is your
store laid out?
Setup Advice
for Home Improvement Centers
- Place cameras
near all entrances and exits to monitor
access, especially in areas where expensive items
like copper wire and lumber are kept.
- Take your layout
carefully into consideration high shelves filled with lumber
and other back stock, as well as hanging merchandise like fans, can obscure
the range of surveillance cameras and prevent a comprehensive recording.
A combination of bullet cameras and dome cameras can be useful
in these situations
- Cameras placed
near valuable inventory like electronics or precious metals
can help reduce and discourage shoplifting.
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