Bars And Grocery Store Businesses Aren’t The Only Establishments That Can Benefit From Using Bottle Locks: Part 2

November 16, 2016 by Leave a Comment

 

Bottle Locks-4                                                                                                                        WC Blog 187
Bottle Lock-3
Liquor Bottle Security-5
Bars And Grocery Store Businesses Aren’t The Only Establishments That Can Benefit From Using Bottle Locks: Part 2
     In part 1 of this two part series I mentioned that I was surprised when I looked at a government website that listed a lengthy list of venues and businesses that sell alcoholic beverages, some beer only and others any number of spirits and/or wines.  I discussed the businesses that one would expect to see selling wines and spirits, mainly, bars, clubs, grocery stores and package stores or state stores.  I also reviewed how bottle locks, if used in these establishments could improve in-stocks, sales and profitability.  As promised, in part 2,  I am going to cover the not-so-obvious locations that may sell alcohol and could also benefit from the use of liquor bottle security.
     As a reminder I just want to clarify for some who may have missed part 1 or are new to liquor bottle security, just what it is I am talking about.  Liquor bottle security may sound like something a parent of teenagers is concerned with, like how to lock the liquor cabinet and keep the kids out.  Well, in a manner of speaking, that is sort of what we are discussing.  Bottle locks are a type of bottle security, but better than the family cabinet.  A bottle lock is a locking cap that fits over a manufacturer’s lid or top.  The lock is placed over the top and locks together preventing someone from being able to get to a bottle lid in order to open it.  They are able to activate electronic article surveillance (EAS) antenna alarms if carried near or through the antennas.  Some locks will even alarm if tampered with should someone attempt to break it off.  Most thieves don’t want the hassle associated with trying to steal a protected product and if they are lucky enough to get it out of a business they don’t want to have to fight to get at the merchandise.  
     So, without further delay, here is a list from the governments’ Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau website listing businesses I had not thought of as being sellers of alcohol products:
• Airlines                                                                            
• Airport lounges
• Amusement Parks
• Bed and Breakfast Inns
• Bingo Halls
• Boats (Pleasure)
• Bowling Alleys
• Casinos
• Catering Services
• Concession Stands
• Drug Stores
• Florist Services
• Fraternal Organizations
• Fundraising Organizations
• Gift Basket Dealers
• Golf Courses
• Grills
• Hospitals
• Hotels
• Inns
• Leagues
• Limousine Services
• Lodges
• Lunch Wagons
• Military Installations
• Pool Halls
• Race Tracks
• Recreation Centers
• Snack Bars
• Stadiums
• Trains
• Wine and Cheese (sellers)
What a list!  If any of these places sells wines or spirits, they can use bottle locks to minimize the risk of loss due to customer OR employee theft.  
     You may be thinking to yourself, “I own a limousine service and I include a bottle of wine as a part of one of my packages.  So if a client purchases a bottle of wine from me, how does a bottle lock benefit me?”  The bottle lock in this case may not be to keep your client out of your supply, but rather, it may keep out potential dishonest employees. How many of your employees may have access to your wine cooler or cellar?  By using locks in this situation you might not need to be as concerned about whether you left your cellar unlocked when you left for the day.  Think about  a stadium where you might have employees under the age of 21 at a counter that serves alcohol.  Wouldn’t you feel better knowing that any alcohol bottles are secured with liquor bottle security such as Alpha bottle locks preventing under age workers from gaining access that could lead to trouble for you?
     Liquor bottle security clearly prevents theft and may even prevent or limit business liability.  Both of these can affect the bottom line for a company.  Why not take a closer look and see if Alpha Security may be able to help you reduce risk and improve profits.
Need information on Bottle Locks?  Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.

In part 1 of this two part series I mentioned that I was surprised when I looked at a government website that listed a lengthy list of venues and businesses that sell alcoholic beverages, some beer only and others any number of spirits and/or wines. I discussed the businesses that one would expect to see selling wines and spirits, mainly, bars, clubs, grocery stores and package stores or state stores. I also reviewed how bottle locks, if used in these establishments could improve in-stocks, sales and profitability. As promised, in part 2,  I am going to cover the not-so-obvious locations that may sell alcohol and could also benefit from the use of liquor bottle security.

As a reminder I just want to clarify for some who may have missed part 1 or are new to liquor bottle security, just what it is I am talking about. Liquor bottle security may sound like something a parent of teenagers is concerned with, like how to lock the liquor cabinet and keep the kids out. Well, in a manner of speaking, that is sort of what we are discussing. Bottle locks are a type of bottle security, but better than the family cabinet. A bottle lock is a locking cap that fits over a manufacturer’s lid or top. The lock is placed over the top and locks together preventing someone from being able to get to a bottle lid in order to open it. They are able to activate electronic article surveillance (EAS) antenna alarms if carried near or through the antennas. Some locks will even alarm if tampered with should someone attempt to break it off. Most thieves don’t want the hassle associated with trying to steal a protected product and if they are lucky enough to get it out of a business they don’t want to have to fight to get at the merchandise.  

So, without further delay, here is a list from the governments’ Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau website listing businesses I had not thought of as being sellers of alcohol products:

• Airlines                                                                            

• Airport lounges

• Amusement Parks

• Bed and Breakfast Inns

• Bingo Halls

• Boats (Pleasure)

• Bowling Alleys

• Casinos

• Catering Services

• Concession Stands

• Drug Stores

• Florist Services

• Fraternal Organizations

• Fundraising Organizations

• Gift Basket Dealers

• Golf Courses

• Grills

• Hospitals

• Hotels

• Inns

• Leagues

• Limousine Services

• Lodges

• Lunch Wagons

• Military Installations

• Pool Halls

• Race Tracks

• Recreation Centers

• Snack Bars

• Stadiums

• Trains

• Wine and Cheese (sellers)

What a list!  If any of these places sell wines or spirits, they can use bottle locks to minimize the risk of loss due to customer OR employee theft.  

You may be thinking to yourself, “I own a limousine service and I include a bottle of wine as a part of one of my packages. So if a client purchases a bottle of wine from me, how does a bottle lock benefit me?” The bottle lock in this case may not be to keep your client out of your supply, but rather, it may keep out potential dishonest employees. How many of your employees may have access to your wine cooler or cellar? By using locks in this situation you might not need to be as concerned about whether you left your cellar unlocked when you left for the day. Think about  a stadium where you might have employees under the age of 21 at a counter that serves alcohol. Wouldn’t you feel better knowing that any alcohol bottles are secured with liquor bottle security such as Alpha bottle locks preventing under age workers from gaining access that could lead to trouble for you?

Liquor bottle security clearly prevents theft and may even prevent or limit business liability.  Both of these can affect the bottom line for a company. Why not take a closer look and see if Alpha Security may be able to help you reduce risk and improve profits.

 

Need information on Bottle Locks? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.

 

 

Filed Under: Security Tagged With: , , , ,

Liquor Bottle Security; Ideas For All Budget Sizes: Part 2

October 25, 2016 by Leave a Comment

 

Liquor Bottle Security-4                                                                                                              wc blog 181
Bottle Locks-5
Liquor Bottle Security; Ideas For All Budget Sizes: Part 2
     In this series I am discussing the liquor bottle security needs of grocery store owners and alcohol beverage store owners.  Due to my television bombarding me with car and truck advertisements I thought it was interesting to note the different ploys used to try to entice me to buy their products.  On the high end there are the luxury cars with the guy in the tuxedo looking rather James Bondish driving through the city at night to go to some posh nightclub.  All eyes turn to watch as the car glides through the streets commanding the attention of even the drivers of other cars.  On the other end of the spectrum, I am wooed by the company that can get me into a car under $200 a month, 100,000 mile warranties and buy here pay here promises.  Not everyone can afford that sports car but nearly everyone can get into the affordable car.  But neither one may fit the needs of the driver who needs a truck to haul work- loads around on a farm.  Different needs for different purposes and budgets.  Store owners can face the same considerations and needs.  In part 1 of the series I reviewed how the owner on a tight economy budget can still get protection with bottle locks and some strategic planning.  In Part 2, I am going to cover the mid-sized budget and the liquor bottle security enhancements that can be more effective.
     Before going on, if you did not read part 1 of the series or are new to retail anti-theft devices, I want to review what bottle locks are and how they work.  Simply stated, bottle locks are devices that are placed on a bottle to prevent someone from being able to open a bottle and drink the contents.  They can activate Electronic Article Surveillance antennas if a shoplifter tries to steal a bottle that is protected.  The locks are removed only with a removal key held at a register or carried by store personnel.  Bottle locks also come in different designs, some are collars that are designed to activate EAS antennas, but don’t prevent the opening of the cap.  Other locks provide full cap coverage and extend down part of the bottle neck. 
     So what would I call a mid-priced system or the pick-up truck of liquor bottle security for a retail store?  Having a background of nearly 20 years of retail loss prevention experience and over 25 years of total retail experience I can provide some solid steps to make a strong impact on shortage reduction without breaking the bank.  First, invest in electronic article surveillance antennas that will cover each entrance, including vendor doors and employee entrances to your facility.  Theft doesn’t occur with shoplifters only, employees can and do steal as well.  Next, decide on how much of your inventory you want to protect.  By the way, Alpha security can give you guidance on where to purchase antennas for the store.  In a perfect world, I would recommend a lock on each and every wine or liquor bottle, but that might not be in your budget.  If not, set a price point for bottle locks and another for bottle collars.  I suggested a $30 price point for budget constrained stores, but in this case, perhaps a $20 price point could be the mark for locking bottles.  
     For this category of stores, also consider staffing two employees at all times.  The store owner and another employee would be perfect.  One person operates the cash register and the other person provides customer service while doing other duties such as stocking shelves, straightening and ensuring locks are on all the bottles within the price range determined earlier.  A full blown camera system may not be affordable, but often two or three cameras are within a budget, hooked up through a store computer.  Place one camera at the entrance to the store ensuring great face shots.  Place another at the register so the register, employee and customer are in view and finally, one at an employee or vendor door.   Keep fixtures no higher than shoulder height and where possible, place mirrors in corners to see hidden areas.
   
     Following these suggestions, your liquor bottle security will be effective and do the job you need to keep shrinkage low.  The payoff will be seen in the performance of your bottom line.
Get more information on liquor bottle security, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
     

In this series I am discussing the liquor bottle security needs of grocery store owners and alcohol beverage store owners. Due to my television bombarding me with car and truck advertisements I thought it was interesting to note the different ploys used to try to entice me to buy their products. On the high end there are the luxury cars with the guy in the tuxedo looking rather James Bondish driving through the city at night to go to some posh nightclub. All eyes turn to watch as the car glides through the streets commanding the attention of even the drivers of other cars. On the other end of the spectrum, I am wooed by the company that can get me into a car under $200 a month, 100,000 mile warranties and buy here pay here promises. Not everyone can afford that sports car but nearly everyone can get into the affordable car. But neither one may fit the needs of the driver who needs a truck to haul work- loads around on a farm. Different needs for different purposes and budgets. Store owners can face the same considerations and needs. In part 1 of the series I reviewed how the owner on a tight economy budget can still get protection with bottle locks and some strategic planning. In Part 2, I am going to cover the mid-sized budget and the liquor bottle security enhancements that can be more effective.

Before going on, if you did not read part 1 of the series or are new to retail anti-theft devices, I want to review what bottle locks are and how they work. Simply stated, bottle locks are devices that are placed on a bottle to prevent someone from being able to open a bottle and drink the contents. They can activate Electronic Article Surveillance antennas if a shoplifter tries to steal a bottle that is protected. The locks are removed only with a removal key held at a register or carried by store personnel. Bottle locks also come in different designs, some are collars that are designed to activate EAS antennas, but don’t prevent the opening of the cap. Other locks provide full cap coverage and extend down part of the bottle neck. 

So what would I call a mid-priced system or the pick-up truck of liquor bottle security for a retail store? Having a background of nearly 20 years of retail loss prevention experience and over 25 years of total retail experience I can provide some solid steps to make a strong impact on shortage reduction without breaking the bank. First, invest in electronic article surveillance antennas that will cover each entrance, including vendor doors and employee entrances to your facility. Theft doesn’t occur with shoplifters only, employees can and do steal as well. Next, decide on how much of your inventory you want to protect. In a perfect world, I would recommend a lock on each and every wine or liquor bottle, but that might not be in your budget. If not, set a price point for bottle locks and another for bottle collars. I suggested a $30 price point for budget constrained stores, but in this case, perhaps a $20 price point could be the mark for locking bottles.  

For this category of stores, also consider staffing two employees at all times. The store owner and another employee would be perfect. One person operates the cash register and the other person provides customer service while doing other duties such as stocking shelves, straightening and ensuring locks are on all the bottles within the price range determined earlier. A full blown camera system may not be affordable, but often two or three cameras are within a budget, hooked up through a store computer. Place one camera at the entrance to the store ensuring great face shots. Place another at the register so the register, employee and customer are in view and finally, one at an employee or vendor door. Keep fixtures no higher than shoulder height and where possible, place mirrors in corners to see hidden areas.        

 

Following these suggestions, your liquor bottle security will be effective and do the job you need to keep shrinkage low. The payoff will be seen in the performance of your bottom line.

 

Get more information on liquor bottle security, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
     

 

 

Filed Under: Security Tagged With: , , , ,

Liquor Bottle Security; Ideas For All Budget Sizes: Part 1

September 21, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Liquor bottle security-3                                                                                                         WC blog 180
Bottle Locks – 5

 

 

Liquor Bottle Security; Ideas For All Budget Sizes: Part 1

 

     Recently I was thinking about merchandise protection and how does a store owner go about choosing the method that will best suit his or her needs.  I had this revelation while watching car commercials which were intruding upon one of my favorite television shows.  The first advertisement was to sell me a pick-up truck followed by a commercial for another company selling me a sports car.  A little later a commercial came on trying to entice me to purchase an affordable car.  There is a similar concern for small grocery store and alcohol beverage store owners trying to get a feel for what they can afford in terms of liquor bottle security.  Can they get by with the bare essentials, the affordable compact car or do they need a workhorse, 8 cylinder 440 horsepower pick-up truck?  How about the shop owner looking for the equivalent of the sleek, powerful and fully equipped sports car?  Okay, I am only talking about theft prevention which can vary from using just bottle locks to a full blown security system.  But the point is the same, what will fit the needs and budget of the small or medium size retail business owner?  In this series I will address each “vehicle” in terms of how it relates to varying budgets.

 

     What are bottle locks you may be asking, and how do they work?  Bottle locks are devices that fit on top of a bottle of wine or liquor and lock in place.  Locks may be in the form of a collar the covers only part of the neck of a bottle, or it may cover the entire bottle cap and part of the bottle neck.  Some bottle locks are clear and allow customers to see the manufacturer’s designs or logos on the foil or paper on the neck of the bottle.  Other locks are totally black and no information on the neck can be viewed.  To some store owners this may or may not be an important consideration in which lock style to purchase. 

 

     Many bottle locks also have the ability to activate an Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) antenna if brought into the radio frequency range of the antenna.  Locks are manufactured with radio frequency technology built into the lock that can be sensed by the antenna and trip an alarm if it is too close to the antenna and doors.  Locks may also have tamper alarms that will sound if someone tries to force a protective cap off and some have a third alarm that will activate in the lock if the device is carried out the door.

  SO, the question becomes what kind of liquor bottle security are you looking for in order to protect your store?  Let’s assume you are on a somewhat tight budget and you need to keep your merchandise safe from theft, in other words, you’re in the market for the compact economy car.  It’s advertised for great gas mileage, gets you where you want to go and the small print always reminds you that additional features cost more.  For this kind of protection I am going to suggest you may not be able to protect all of your products.  You may be limited in the amount of items you can protect due to cost crunching.  In this case, establish a price point and protect every bottle that hits that mark or higher, you might decide any bottle $30 or greater will be locked. Even for the “economy” car budget you invest in an EAS antenna system for all of your entrances ensuring product being stolen will be detected.

 

       Staffing will probably be minimal in order to increase profit margin.  In this case, place the register near the front door to be able to immediately respond to any EAS alarm.  Set up drink coolers or candy fixtures and turnstiles to prevent a person from grabbing and running in a straight line to the door.  Assuming you can’t afford cameras keep your shelves and fixtures no higher than chest level so you can observe customers.  Also, while cameras may not be affordable, you can purchase mirrors to place in corners that aid in seeing those sections that are not in the line of sight.

 

     Following these easy steps you can have an affordable ride that will keep expenses low and still have an impact on your drive to minimize shoplifting and theft.  Did I say we are still talking about liquor bottle security?

 

Liquor bottle security is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.

 

Filed Under: Security Tagged With: , , ,

Don’t Be The Unwitting Source For Alcohol Bargain Hunters; Use Bottle Locks To Protect Wine And Spirits

August 25, 2016 by Leave a Comment

 

Bottle Locks-4                                                                                                                      WC Blog 175
Bottle Security- 3
Don’t Be The Unwitting Source For Alcohol Bargain Hunters; Use Bottle Locks To Protect Wine And Spirits
      In my position as a Retail Loss Prevention Manager I frequently had concerns about Organized Retail Crime activity in our area.  I met with Loss Prevention Managers from other retailers and police to discuss the trends I was seeing and we shared information to try to identify those involved.  My biggest concerns were in our health and beauty departments and electronics department.  Though we sold some wine I never considered that alcohol would be targeted by professional shoplifters.  I assumed that those stealing wine and spirits were doing so for a single bottle or two.  Little did I realize until I did some research that alcohol IS a target of professional criminals and there is a black market for the product.  It makes me wonder why more liquor stores and grocery stores that sell alcohol are not using some type of bottle security such as bottle locks on their merchandise.
     Bottle locks come in a variety of styles and sizes to fit nearly any bottle on the market.  These locks have built in radio frequency (RF) Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) technology that cause an EAS antenna alarm to sound when a bottle with a lock is brought in range of the antenna. The locks are built for maximum efficiency making it nearly impossible to tamper with the device to force it off.  If an attempt to force a lock off the top of a bottle is made, the likely result will be a broken bottle and liquor on the floor.  Bottle security doesn’t have to consist of hiding all the merchandise behind locking cases, requiring an employee to retrieve every single bottle.
     What are Organized Retail Crime organizations doing with all this alcohol they are stealing?  They resell the merchandise to small liquor store and bar owners who then save on the cost from a legitimate supplier and use the stolen merchandise to sell in their patron’s drinks.  Below are just a few of the examples I have come across to validate my point:
• Chicago.suntimes.com dated 3/3/2016 headline “Three arrested for stealing stolen liquor at Humboldt Park store”.  The story by Ashlee Rezin reports that, “Three men have been arrested for selling stolen merchandise, including more than 100 bottles of high-end alcohol at a Humboldt Park neighborhood store…”
• Patch.com dated 9/13/2015 headline “Buffalo Grove Convenience Store Owner Charged With Selling Stolen Liquor”.  In the story by Amie Schaenzer, the owner of the store in Buffalo Grove, Illinois was accused of buying stolen bottles of liquor at one store he owned and selling it at another store he owned.
• 8/4/2014 citypaper.com writer Edward Ericson, Jr. reported on a case on March 16th in which a liquor store owner was charged with stealing less than $1,000 worth of Hennessy after buying it from an unauthorized distributor and failing to pay the proper state tax.  According to the report a half million dollar shipment of Hennessy cognac had been stolen from a tractor trailer.
How big a problem is Organized Retail Theft in the United States?  According to the National Retail Federation 2014 Organized Retail Crime Survey, Organized Retail Crime is a $30 billion dollar a year problem.  It is important for even small business owners to use liquor bottle security to keep merchandise from walking out the door.  
     Stores can protect wine and spirits with bottle locks and allow their customers the freedom to look at a bottle and handle it without concern for sending someone to open a case.  Customer service will continue to excel because shoppers can move about with merchandise and not feel rushed to make a decision, because they don’t have an employee waiting to walk away.  Bottle locks can be a big win for customer service and a driver for profitable sales.
Get more information on bottle locks, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.

In my position as a Retail Loss Prevention Manager I frequently had concerns about Organized Retail Crime activity in our area. I met with Loss Prevention Managers from other retailers and police to discuss the trends I was seeing and we shared information to try to identify those involved. My biggest concerns were in our health and beauty departments and electronics department. Though we sold some wine I never considered that alcohol would be targeted by professional shoplifters. I assumed that those stealing wine and spirits were doing so for a single bottle or two. Little did I realize until I did some research that alcohol IS a target of professional criminals and there is a black market for the product. It makes me wonder why more liquor stores and grocery stores that sell alcohol are not using some type of bottle security such as bottle locks on their merchandise.

Bottle locks come in a variety of styles and sizes to fit nearly any bottle on the market. These locks have built in radio frequency (RF) Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) technology that cause an EAS antenna alarm to sound when a bottle with a lock is brought in range of the antenna. The locks are built for maximum efficiency making it nearly impossible to tamper with the device to force it off. If an attempt to force a lock off the top of a bottle is made, the likely result will be a broken bottle and liquor on the floor. Bottle security doesn’t have to consist of hiding all the merchandise behind locking cases, requiring an employee to retrieve every single bottle.

 

What are Organized Retail Crime organizations doing with all this alcohol they are stealing? They resell the merchandise to small liquor store and bar owners who then save on the cost from a legitimate supplier and use the stolen merchandise to sell in their patron’s drinks. Below are just a few of the examples I have come across to validate my point:

• Chicago.suntimes.com dated 3/3/2016 headline “Three arrested for stealing stolen liquor at Humboldt Park store”. The story by Ashlee Rezin reports that, “Three men have been arrested for selling stolen merchandise, including more than 100 bottles of high-end alcohol at a Humboldt Park neighborhood store…”

• Patch.com dated 9/13/2015 headline “Buffalo Grove Convenience Store Owner Charged With Selling Stolen Liquor”. In the story by Amie Schaenzer, the owner of the store in Buffalo Grove, Illinois was accused of buying stolen bottles of liquor at one store he owned and selling it at another store he owned.

• 8/4/2014 citypaper.com writer Edward Ericson, Jr. reported on a case on March 16th in which a liquor store owner was charged with stealing less than $1,000 worth of Hennessy after buying it from an unauthorized distributor and failing to pay the proper state tax. According to the report a half million dollar shipment of Hennessy cognac had been stolen from a tractor trailer.

 

How big a problem is Organized Retail Theft in the United States? According to the National Retail Federation 2014 Organized Retail Crime Survey, Organized Retail Crime is a $30 billion dollar a year problem. It is important for even small business owners to use liquor bottle security to keep merchandise from walking out the door.  

 

Stores can protect wine and spirits with bottle locks and allow their customers the freedom to look at a bottle and handle it without concern for sending someone to open a case. Customer service will continue to excel because shoppers can move about with merchandise and not feel rushed to make a decision, because they don’t have an employee waiting to walk away. Bottle locks can be a big win for customer service and a driver for profitable sales.

 

Get more information on bottle locks, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.

 

 

Filed Under: Security Tagged With: , , ,

Liquor Bottle Security May Prevent Loss Of Liquor License

July 20, 2016 by Leave a Comment

 

Liquor bottle security – 4                                                                                                         WC blog 150
Bottle Locks – 5
Liquor Bottle Security May Prevent Loss Of Liquor License 
     I have been doing research on liquor sales and was surprised to learn there are a  number of states in which proposals are being made to allow grocery stores and convenience stores to sell spirits, as well as wine.  Obviously driven by a desire to improve profits and add a new product line to their offerings, grocery and big box retailers are pushing to be permitted to sell liquors, something that generally has been restricted to alcohol and beverage commission stores to this point.  One concern that has been raised by opponents in states where this is or has been proposed is that it could lead to an increase in juvenile shoplifting of spirits.  Indeed, in Washington State where the sale of spirits in grocery stores was approved by voters, there are complaints of increased theft by minors.  This led to the passage of state House Bill 2155 in 2014 which makes it possible for stores to lose their liquor license if there is too much theft of spirits.  According to a May 9, 2014 article in Columbian.com, Columbian Political Writer Lauren Drake writes, “The measure, House Bill 2155, states that a licensee experiencing an “unacceptable rate of spirits theft” defined as two or more incidents in a six month period, where the result is an underage drinker ends up possessing the booze, could see their license pulled by the state’s liquor control board.”  If other states follow suit permitting grocery stores and convenience stores to sell spirits, it is safe to assume similar legislation could follow in those states.  So what are some actions stores may take to enhance liquor bottle security?  Incorporating the use of bottle locks on product is one solution.
     Wines and spirits are stolen when they are easy to access, and there are no security measures in place to deter shoplifters.  Bottle locks provide liquor bottle security by preventing access to the bottle cap.  The locks cover the top of the bottle and depending on the style of lock used, protects part of the neck of the bottle as well.  Once in place, the locks can only be removed by using a special detachment key which should be maintained at the points of sale.  If someone tries to pry a bottle lock off, the result will be a broken bottle of liquor.  Another protective feature of these locks is that they are electronic article surveillance (EAS) sensitive and will cause EAS antenna alarms to sound if a locked bottle is carried in the vicinity of the antenna.  
     No business owner wants shoplifting to take place in their stores and they especially don’t want minors to get hold of alcoholic beverages.  If stores other than alcohol and beverage commission stores are going to sell these products, they will have to take steps to keep product available to their customers and out of the hands of youth.  Lock up cases could do the job, but the problem with lock up cases is that they require staff to be available to respond immediately when someone wants something out of the case.  Lock up cases also requires the employee to walk the merchandise to the checkout lane taking up more of the employee’s time.  One other issue with lock up cases is that the customer is unable to hold the product and look at it.  Sales significantly improve when customers have the ability to select products, look at them and continue to shop.  Bottle locks give the shopper the freedom of movement they desire and makes shopping faster for them. 
     If you are a store owner selling or considering selling spirits, make sure you look into liquor bottle security which includes EAS antennas and bottle locks.  I would also suggest signage warning patrons that bottle locks are in use as an added deterrent to theft.  Additional security measures could include video cameras and public view monitors on the aisle in which the alcohol is kept.  Placement of alcohol should be done so that the product is in direct view of a cashier or customer service point.  With such measures in place a store owner should be able to deter not only juvenile shoplifters but adult shoplifters too.  You will find that proactive security steps on your part will protect you and your business if laws are enacted such as those in Washington State.
Liquor bottle security is important and we can help you with it.  Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk. 

I have been doing research on liquor sales and was surprised to learn there are a  number of states in which proposals are being made to allow grocery stores and convenience stores to sell spirits, as well as wine. Obviously driven by a desire to improve profits and add a new product line to their offerings, grocery and big box retailers are pushing to be permitted to sell liquors, something that generally has been restricted to alcohol and beverage commission stores to this point. One concern that has been raised by opponents in states where this is or has been proposed is that it could lead to an increase in juvenile shoplifting of spirits. Indeed, in Washington State where the sale of spirits in grocery stores was approved by voters, there are complaints of increased theft by minors. This led to the passage of state House Bill 2155 in 2014 which makes it possible for stores to lose their liquor license if there is too much theft of spirits. According to a May 9, 2014 article in Columbian.com, Columbian Political Writer Lauren Drake writes, “The measure, House Bill 2155, states that a licensee experiencing an “unacceptable rate of spirits theft” defined as two or more incidents in a six month period, where the result is an underage drinker ends up possessing the booze, could see their license pulled by the state’s liquor control board.” If other states follow suit permitting grocery stores and convenience stores to sell spirits, it is safe to assume similar legislation could follow in those states. So what are some actions stores may take to enhance liquor bottle security? Incorporating the use of bottle locks on product is one solution.

Wines and spirits are stolen when they are easy to access, and there are no security measures in place to deter shoplifters. Bottle locks provide liquor bottle security by preventing access to the bottle cap. The locks cover the top of the bottle and depending on the style of lock used, protects part of the neck of the bottle as well. Once in place, the locks can only be removed by using a special detachment key which should be maintained at the points of sale. If someone tries to pry a bottle lock off, the result will be a broken bottle of liquor. Another protective feature of these locks is that they are electronic article surveillance (EAS) sensitive and will cause EAS antenna alarms to sound if a locked bottle is carried in the vicinity of the antenna.  

No business owner wants shoplifting to take place in their stores and they especially don’t want minors to get hold of alcoholic beverages. If stores other than alcohol and beverage commission stores are going to sell these products, they will have to take steps to keep product available to their customers and out of the hands of youth. Lock up cases could do the job, but the problem with lock up cases is that they require staff to be available to respond immediately when someone wants something out of the case. Lock up cases also requires the employee to walk the merchandise to the checkout lane taking up more of the employee’s time. One other issue with lock up cases is that the customer is unable to hold the product and look at it. Sales significantly improve when customers have the ability to select products, look at them and continue to shop. Bottle locks give the shopper the freedom of movement they desire and makes shopping faster for them. 

If you are a store owner selling or considering selling spirits, make sure you look into liquor bottle security which includes EAS antennas and bottle locks. I would also suggest signage warning patrons that bottle locks are in use as an added deterrent to theft. Additional security measures could include video cameras and public view monitors on the aisle in which the alcohol is kept. Placement of alcohol should be done so that the product is in direct view of a cashier or customer service point. With such measures in place a store owner should be able to deter not only juvenile shoplifters but adult shoplifters too. You will find that proactive security steps on your part will protect you and your business if laws are enacted such as those in Washington State.

 

Liquor bottle security is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk. 

 

 

Filed Under: Security Tagged With: , , ,

Shoplifters Don’t Worry About Bottle Prices, That’s Why You Should – Use Bottle Security For ALL Wine And Spirits.

June 23, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Bottle Locks-5                                                                                                                                 WC blog 125
Bottle Security-3
Alpha Security-3
Shoplifters Don’t Worry About Bottle Prices, That’s Why You Should – Use Bottle Security For ALL Wine And Spirits.
     Wine and liquor bottle security for grocery stores and alcohol beverage stores can be a difficult problem to address.  According to the 2014-2015 Global Retail Theft Barometer report, in the Food and Beverages vertical rankings category, wines and spirits ranked number one both in North America AND Worldwide.  The report states on page 55, “Products that are easy to steal, as well as easy to sell, are most prone to theft – resulting in high pilferage for items such as accessories, perfumes, and wines and spirits.”  If you run a store that sells wine or alcohol you may be seeing empty shelves, but not from sales.  Thieves could be targeting your merchandise if you aren’t protecting it. You may contend that you are protecting your merchandise because you are locking up your high dollar beverages.  You might even argue that you are using bottle locks to secure merchandise higher than a specific price point. I would commend you on those efforts, but I believe you could do better.  Shoplifters may be denied access to the expensive goods, but they will move to the cheaper items if they think no one is paying attention.  A solution for protecting your lower-risk, lower end-merchandise is the Alpha Security Steel grip bottle cap.
     The Steel Grip lock is an electronic article surveillance (EAS) device that is designed to provide bottle security for lower-risk wines and spirits.  The lock has a metal strap that is secured around the lower portion of the bottle cap, tightening it around the neck of the bottle.  While it does not protect the full cap like the other styles of bottle locks do, it does provide visual deterrence and EAS alarm protection if someone attempts to steal a bottle.
     I have always been opposed to the merchandise protection strategy that sets a price point on merchandise before it is protected with some type of security device.  As a former Loss Prevention Manager, I had to abide by similar guidelines and it annoyed me.  In my opinion, this type of strategy is indicating there will be an acceptable level of loss.  Here is what I mean, I walked into one grocery store and looked at their selection of wines.  I tried to determine the price point that they were using before they implemented bottle security.  It appeared the price of a bottle had to be around $29.99 or above before they used bottle locks to protect the merchandise. There were not a lot of selections at this price point, so that left a LOT of wine and champagne unprotected below that price.  As a matter of fact, I would estimate over 95 percent of the merchandise in the department was NOT protected and therefore subject to theft.  It might be irritating to a shoplifter to be prevented from stealing the higher priced bottle, but I can tell you from experience, they will be willing to settle for a $20 bottle if the $30 bottle is not available.  Why is that loss acceptable to any store manager?  That’s the message being sent.
     The best strategy for improving profits and keeping store shelves in-stock for your legitimate customers is to protect all of the merchandise in a category of which you are concerned could be a target for theft.  In a grocery store, squash and celery theft may not be a significant concern, but wine is (as indicated in the Global Retail Theft Barometer Report).  Grocery managers should not worry about merchandise protection for veggies, but investing in Alpha Security bottle locks for all of the wine in the store could pay big dividends, especially if all the bottles are protected in some fashion.
     Use Alpha Security full size bottle locks on your top shelf/ high ticket wines and spirits but don’t neglect the lower priced bottles.  Use the Steel Grip bottle lock to deter ALL theft in your store and watch your profits grow.
Bottle Security is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
     
     

Wine and liquor bottle security for grocery stores and alcohol beverage stores can be a difficult problem to address.  According to the 2014-2015 Global Retail Theft Barometer report, in the Food and Beverages vertical rankings category, wines and spirits ranked number one both in North America AND Worldwide. The report states on page 55, “Products that are easy to steal, as well as easy to sell, are most prone to theft – resulting in high pilferage for items such as accessories, perfumes, and wines and spirits.” If you run a store that sells wine or alcohol you may be seeing empty shelves, but not from sales. Thieves could be targeting your merchandise if you aren’t protecting it. You may contend that you are protecting your merchandise because you are locking up your high dollar beverages.  You might even argue that you are using bottle locks to secure merchandise higher than a specific price point. I would commend you on those efforts, but I believe you could do better. Shoplifters may be denied access to the expensive goods, but they will move to the cheaper items if they think no one is paying attention. A solution for protecting your lower-risk, lower end-merchandise is the Alpha Security Steel grip bottle cap.

 

The Steel Grip lock is an electronic article surveillance (EAS) device that is designed to provide bottle security for lower-risk wines and spirits. The lock has a metal strap that is secured around the lower portion of the bottle cap, tightening it around the neck of the bottle. While it does not protect the full cap like the other styles of bottle locks do, it does provide visual deterrence and EAS alarm protection if someone attempts to steal a bottle.

     

I have always been opposed to the merchandise protection strategy that sets a price point on merchandise before it is protected with some type of security device. As a former Loss Prevention Manager, I had to abide by similar guidelines and it annoyed me. In my opinion, this type of strategy is indicating there will be an acceptable level of loss. Here is what I mean, I walked into one grocery store and looked at their selection of wines. I tried to determine the price point that they were using before they implemented bottle security. It appeared the price of a bottle had to be around $29.99 or above before they used bottle locks to protect the merchandise. There were not a lot of selections at this price point, so that left a LOT of wine and champagne unprotected below that price.  As a matter of fact, I would estimate over 95 percent of the merchandise in the department was NOT protected and therefore subject to theft. It might be irritating to a shoplifter to be prevented from stealing the higher priced bottle, but I can tell you from experience, they will be willing to settle for a $20 bottle if the $30 bottle is not available. Why is that loss acceptable to any store manager? That’s the message being sent.
     

The best strategy for improving profits and keeping store shelves in-stock for your legitimate customers is to protect all of the merchandise in a category of which you are concerned could be a target for theft. In a grocery store, squash and celery theft may not be a significant concern, but wine is (as indicated in the Global Retail Theft Barometer Report). Grocery managers should not worry about merchandise protection for veggies, but investing in Alpha Security bottle locks for all of the wine in the store could pay big dividends, especially if all the bottles are protected in some fashion.
     

Use Alpha Security full size bottle locks on your top shelf/ high ticket wines and spirits but don’t neglect the lower priced bottles. Use the Steel Grip bottle lock to deter ALL theft in your store and watch your profits grow.

 

Bottle Security is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.     

     

 

Filed Under: Security Tagged With: , , , ,

Pretty And Protected; Bottle Locks Don’t Need To Limit Bottle Label Appeal

May 25, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Bottle Locks-4                                                                                                                          WC blog 106
Liquor bottle security-3
Alpha Security -4
Bottle Security-3
Pretty And Protected; Bottle Locks Don’t Need To Limit Bottle Label Appeal
     Have you ever noticed the different bottles that beverage makers use to sell their products, especially the wine and alcohol manufacturers? Bottle shapes, sizes, and styles along with the labels and packaging are meant to provide a distinction from competitors to make their brand stand out. Sometimes, as with boxed wines, the idea is to promote the packaging as more environmentally friendly that those in glass bottles. Use a gold foil around the top of the champagne bottle and the message you may be sending your customers is that this is a brand the sophisticated and wealthy consumer is drinking. The messaging being sent by the manufacturer of a product is usually the result of testing to marketing groups. So when I begin to think about writing about the value of bottle locks to prevent theft, I have to take into consideration, what impact if any, the device might have on the selling features of the beverages.  
     My first priority when writing is to help retailers find the best liquor bottle security device on the market to help them prevent shortage due to theft and in some cases, even unintentional walk outs. Using bottle locks is the optimum solution for prevention of theft because they operate with electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems. Install an EAS system and when a bottle with a bottle lock is carried within the range of an EAS antenna, the antenna sounds a loud alarm and built in lights flash, alerting store personnel to a situation that needs attention.  Using bottle security also deters theft since shoplifters don’t want to hassle with trying to force off a security device or risk setting off an alarm when they walk out a door.  If a cashier forgets to check the bottom of a shopping cart and a bottle has been overlooked, the alarm will sound and the patron can return and pay for it.
     Obviously then, bottle security is a great solution to preventing shortage, but you may still be concerned that you don’t want to cover up the labeling information or detract from the packaging of your bottles.  Alpha Security has produced a Crystal Guard security device that covers the bottle cap and part of the neck of the bottle.  It has a clear front that provides the customer the ability to view the label and wrapping around the top of the bottle. The device still covers up plenty of the bottle cap, making it nearly impossible to tamper with the cap or the device itself. The features of the bottle labeling are not interfered with and thus keep the allure of that particular selling point. 
     If, on the other hand, you are strictly concerned with liquor bottle security and preventing theft and the package labeling is secondary you may be interested in the Alpha Security S3 Bottle Cap. This liquor bottle security lock is, in my opinion, simply no-nonsense in appearance.  It doesn’t look like it’s supposed to be pretty or classy; for a security device if it could talk it would say, “Don’t mess with me”.  Just the visual impact of these bottle locks would send the message to shoplifters to go away. This Alpha Security device covers the entire lid and top portion of a bottle and is extremely difficult to tamper with. As a matter of fact tampering with this or any of the bottle locks could result in a broken bottle. There is no clear or see through functionality on this lock so bottle neck labels or foils will not be seen, but that may not be a concern if it keeps the merchandise in the store.
     Trying to balance maintaining the selling features of a product with the need to prevent theft and shortage can be tricky. Alpha Security has a broad selection of bottle locks that can meet your needs for bottle security and showing off the eye catching features of your merchandise.
Need information on bottle locks? Contact us or give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.

Have you ever noticed the different bottles that beverage makers use to sell their products, especially the wine and alcohol manufacturers? Bottle shapes, sizes, and styles along with the labels and packaging are meant to provide a distinction from competitors to make their brand stand out. Sometimes, as with boxed wines, the idea is to promote the packaging as more environmentally friendly that those in glass bottles. Use a gold foil around the top of the champagne bottle and the message you may be sending your customers is that this is a brand the sophisticated and wealthy consumer is drinking. The messaging being sent by the manufacturer of a product is usually the result of testing to marketing groups. So when I begin to think about writing about the value of bottle locks to prevent theft, I have to take into consideration, what impact if any, the device might have on the selling features of the beverages.  

 

My first priority when writing is to help retailers find the best liquor bottle security device on the market to help them prevent shortage due to theft and in some cases, even unintentional walk outs. Using bottle locks is the optimum solution for prevention of theft because they operate with electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems. Install an EAS system and when a bottle with a bottle lock is carried within the range of an EAS antenna, the antenna sounds a loud alarm and built in lights flash, alerting store personnel to a situation that needs attention.  Using bottle security also deters theft since shoplifters don’t want to hassle with trying to force off a security device or risk setting off an alarm when they walk out a door. If a cashier forgets to check the bottom of a shopping cart and a bottle has been overlooked, the alarm will sound and the patron can return and pay for it.

 

Obviously then, bottle security is a great solution to preventing shortage, but you may still be concerned that you don’t want to cover up the labeling information or detract from the packaging of your bottles.  Alpha Security has produced a Crystal Guard security device that covers the bottle cap and part of the neck of the bottle.  It has a clear front that provides the customer the ability to view the label and wrapping around the top of the bottle. The device still covers up plenty of the bottle cap, making it nearly impossible to tamper with the cap or the device itself. The features of the bottle labeling are not interfered with and thus keep the allure of that particular selling point. 

     

If, on the other hand, you are strictly concerned with liquor bottle security and preventing theft and the package labeling is secondary you may be interested in the Alpha Security S3 Bottle Cap. This liquor bottle security lock is, in my opinion, simply no-nonsense in appearance.  It doesn’t look like it’s supposed to be pretty or classy; for a security device if it could talk it would say, “Don’t mess with me”. Just the visual impact of these bottle locks would send the message to shoplifters to go away. This Alpha Security device covers the entire lid and top portion of a bottle and is extremely difficult to tamper with. As a matter of fact tampering with this or any of the bottle locks could result in a broken bottle. There is no clear or see through functionality on this lock so bottle neck labels or foils will not be seen, but that may not be a concern if it keeps the merchandise in the store.

 

Trying to maintain the balance of selling features with the need to prevent theft and shortage can be tricky. Alpha Security has a broad selection of bottle locks that can meet your needs for bottle security and showing off the eye catching features of your merchandise.

 

Need information on bottle locks? Contact us or give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.

 

Filed Under: Security Tagged With: , , , ,

It Doesn’t Take A Truck Load

January 25, 2016 by Leave a Comment

 

Bottle Locks-5 , Liquor Bottle Security-2  , Alpha Security-1
It Doesn’t Take  A Truck Load
When we interview an employee suspected of internal theft, we generally use the same approach.  We sit down with them and tell them who we are and what we do.  We explain the different types of theft we investigate, and then we ask them to tell us about how they have caused losses to our company.  If they try to shut down and not tell us the information we have come to gather, we try to minimize their activities.  We tell them we know they didn’t steal a truck load, if the case is about merchandise theft.  That will usually lighten the mood enough to help get the confession started.  The fact is it doesn’t take a truck load if you sell alcohol.  If you are lacking in liquor bottle security, it could take just a few bottles.  Without bottle locks on your inventory, it could be just a matter of time before top shelf spirits start disappearing.  
One guy got away with several bottles from a few different places.  First he went to a specialty wine dealer and under the guise of planning a big wedding event, was able to get his hands on some very old and very sought after bottles.  When the sales person got called away for a moment, the thief made his escape.  The diversion was actually a ploy caused by the driver of his getaway vehicle.  Sadly, the poor sales guy had no clue that the man left with the stolen products until it was way too late.  Had this dealer been utilizing bottle locks, the devices would have alerted the staff as soon as the man got too close to the exit door.  The alarm would have sounded and they could have at least attempted to detain the man or get identifying information on the vehicle.  A man fitting the same description was reported for a theft at a high end liquor store a month later.  He walked in and browsed around the most expensive section of the store.  An employee stayed with him, and discussed the brands and bottles he was interested in.  At some point she got called away from the man, and like the last incident, he made his move.  He concealed a bottle under his shirt this time, but when he turned around, the employee had returned.  She accused him of stealing, but he raised his arms in an effort to show he had nothing.  She still suspected him, but could do nothing because she had not actually seen the theft.  Again, if bottle locks were being employed in this store, as soon as he approached the door the alarm would sound and confirm her suspicions.  At that point she could detain him and call the authorities.  Oh, and although this man has been identified and warrants issued for his arrest, he is still on the loose.
Bottle locks, by Alpha security, are the ultimate answer to theft of wine and spirits.  There have been instances where someone has actually made off with a truck load from a warehouse.  Those instances are rare and major exceptions.  The reality is that most times, when wine and liquor are targeted for theft, it is high end brands and bottles produced in specific years.  It could be anyone, even the next person to walk through your door, that plans to wipe you out.  They come in and feed you a good story, and you give them access to your best line of products.  With no liquor bottle security in place, you are gambling with your valuable inventory.  Protect your profit margin and see what bottle locks can do for your business’ peace of mind.
For more information on what bottle locks can do for you, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

When we interview an employee suspected of internal theft, we generally use the same approach. We sit down with them and tell them who we are and what we do. We explain the different types of theft we investigate, and then we ask them to tell us about how they have caused losses to our company. If they try to shut down and not tell us the information we have come to gather, we try to minimize their activities. We tell them we know they didn’t steal a truck load, if the case is about merchandise theft. That will usually lighten the mood enough to help get the confession started. The fact is it doesn’t take a truck load if you sell alcohol. If you are lacking in liquor bottle security, it could take just a few bottles. Without bottle locks on your inventory, it could be just a matter of time before top shelf spirits start disappearing.  

One guy got away with several bottles from a few different places. First he went to a specialty wine dealer and under the guise of planning a big wedding event, was able to get his hands on some very old and very sought after bottles. When the sales person got called away for a moment, the thief made his escape. The diversion was actually a ploy caused by the driver of his getaway vehicle. Sadly, the poor sales guy had no clue that the man left with the stolen products until it was way too late. Had this dealer been utilizing bottle locks, the devices would have alerted the staff as soon as the man got too close to the exit door. The alarm would have sounded and they could have at least attempted to detain the man or get identifying information on the vehicle. A man fitting the same description was reported for a theft at a high end liquor store a month later. He walked in and browsed around the most expensive section of the store. An employee stayed with him, and discussed the brands and bottles he was interested in. At some point she got called away from the man, and like the last incident, he made his move. He concealed a bottle under his shirt this time, but when he turned around, the employee had returned.  She accused him of stealing, but he raised his arms in an effort to show he had nothing. She still suspected him, but could do nothing because she had not actually seen the theft. Again, if bottle locks were being employed in this store, as soon as he approached the door the alarm would sound and confirm her suspicions. At that point she could detain him and call the authorities. Oh, and although this man has been identified and warrants issued for his arrest, he is still on the loose.

Bottle locks, by Alpha security, are the ultimate answer to theft of wine and spirits. There have been instances where someone has actually made off with a truck load from a warehouse. Those instances are rare and major exceptions. The reality is that most times, when wine and liquor are targeted for theft, it is high end brands and bottles produced in specific years. It could be anyone, even the next person to walk through your door, that plans to wipe you out. They come in and feed you a good story, and you give them access to your best line of products. With no liquor bottle security in place, you are gambling with your valuable inventory.  Protect your profit margin and see what bottle locks can do for your business’ peace of mind.

For more information on what bottle locks can do for you, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

 

 

Filed Under: Security Tagged With: , , , ,

Reducing Shrink with the Bottle Lock

September 17, 2015 by Leave a Comment
JD Blog-004 Bottle Lock-4 (Secondary – Liquor Bottle Security-3)
Reducing Shrink with the Bottle Lock
Not a single day goes by without an email coming in to our task force office about a large-scale liquor theft.  Every time, I notice that it’s a retailer who isn’t using the bottle lock for liquor bottle security.   Liquor and wine is a market that generates a lot of revenue on its own, along with incremental sales on snacks and soft drinks to go with the liquor.  With those increased sales, comes increased shrink exposure.  As a team leader for a regional Organized Retail Crime task force, I see the struggle against liquor shrink every day.  Our first effort is to help retailers stem the loss by preventative measures and liquor bottle security.  The first thing we do is recommend the bottle lock.  It’s a simple but highly effective device that makes the merchandise less attractive and usable to both the professional and amateur shoplifter.  The technology fits over the top of the bottle and keeps anyone who did not purchase the bottle from opening it.   Only the key can remove it.  The bottle lock works with existing EAS systems or can be a stand-alone item, just providing physical benefit denial.
At the conclusion of one particularly large investigation, we interviewed the suspects to help us figure out how to better prevent the losses.  They told us that when selecting a store to target, the first thing they looked for was the bottle lock.  If it was in place at a particular store, they would move on to another location.  That speaks volumes about its effectiveness for liquor bottle security.  They told us that the first time they tried to defeat one inside the store, the bottle burst and the liquor went everywhere.  While the store still had a loss on the damaged bottle, they didn’t lose 10-15 bottles, which was the average this group hit for.   Fencing locations are unlikely to buy bottles with that are brought in by the bad guys because the fence wants to avoid getting caught.  How easy is it to prove that he purchased stolen merchandise when it came in with a theft prevention device still attached?
What the area retailers also discovered was an unexpected side benefit…the reduction in losses due to juvenile shoplifters opening bottles and pouring the contents into their water bottle or other container.  Not only did this reduce shrink, but it also reduced some liability for inadvertently providing minors access to alcohol.   One of the initial concerns our local stores had was an increase in time it would take to process a transaction when the clerk had to remove the Bottle lock.   As long as the key is at the register, we found that it had a negligible effect on transaction time.
The concern we had as an investigative team was security of the keys.  The keys come attached to a lanyard.  That lanyard can be screwed right into the counter under the register, keeping it secure and out of sight.  We have not had any keys compromised locally.  Also, to help in this regard, we talked to the prosecutor’s office and they agreed that unauthorized possession of a key would subject the bad guys to a charge of possession of burglar’s tools, a felony, and defeating a theft detection device, a misdemeanor. That’s a strong piece of preventative information.
Locally, the tough fight against the organized, large-scale theft of liquor from our local businesses has been made much easier by the individual stores using the bottle lock.   It’s a great tool for any size store.
For more information about bottle lock contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.

Not a single day goes by without an email coming in to our task force office about a large-scale liquor theft. Every time, I notice that it’s a retailer who isn’t using the bottle lock for liquor bottle security.  Liquor and wine is a market that generates a lot of revenue on its own, along with incremental sales on snacks and soft drinks to go with the liquor. With those increased sales, comes increased shrink exposure.  As a team leader for a regional Organized Retail Crime task force, I see the struggle against liquor shrink every day. Our first effort is to help retailers stem the loss by preventative measures and liquor bottle security. The first thing we do is recommend the bottle lock.  It’s a simple but highly effective device that makes the merchandise less attractive and usable to both the professional and amateur shoplifter. The technology fits over the top of the bottle and keeps anyone who did not purchase the bottle from opening it. Only the key can remove it. The bottle lock works with existing EAS systems or can be a stand-alone item, just providing physical benefit denial.

At the conclusion of one particularly large investigation, we interviewed the suspects to help us figure out how to better prevent the losses. They told us that when selecting a store to target, the first thing they looked for was the bottle lock. If it was in place at a particular store, they would move on to another location. That speaks volumes about its effectiveness for liquor bottle security. They told us that the first time they tried to defeat one inside the store, the bottle burst and the liquor went everywhere. While the store still had a loss on the damaged bottle, they didn’t lose 10-15 bottles, which was the average this group hit for. Fencing locations are unlikely to buy bottles with that are brought in by the bad guys because the fence wants to avoid getting caught.  How easy is it to prove that he purchased stolen merchandise when it came in with a theft prevention device still attached?

What the area retailers also discovered was an unexpected side benefit…the reduction in losses due to juvenile shoplifters opening bottles and pouring the contents into their water bottle or other container. Not only did this reduce shrink, but it also reduced some liability for inadvertently providing minors access to alcohol. One of the initial concerns our local stores had was an increase in time it would take to process a transaction when the clerk had to remove the Bottle lock. As long as the key is at the register, we found that it had a negligible effect on transaction time.

The concern we had as an investigative team was security of the keys. The keys come attached to a lanyard. That lanyard can be screwed right into the counter under the register, keeping it secure and out of sight. We have not had any keys compromised locally. Also, to help in this regard, we talked to the prosecutor’s office and they agreed that unauthorized possession of a key would subject the bad guys to a charge of possession of burglar’s tools, a felony, and defeating a theft detection device, a misdemeanor. That’s a strong piece of preventative information.

Locally, the tough fight against the organized, large-scale theft of liquor from our local businesses has been made much easier by the individual stores using the bottle lock. It’s a great tool for any size store.

For more information about bottle lock contact us  or call 1.770.426.0547.

 

Filed Under: Security Tagged With: , ,

Send Them Somewhere Else – Liquor Bottle Security

July 17, 2015 by Leave a Comment
In retail, the goal is usually to keep people in your store, and stop them from going somewhere else.  This logic is reversed when you are trying to stop shoplifting.  If you want to minimize the occurrence of theft in your liquor store, you’ll have to invest in a good liquor bottle security program.  The goal is to make it as much of a challenge as possible for the thieves, so they don’t have any choice but to risk getting caught at your store, or go to another store where they don’t invest in protecting their merchandise from shoplifters.  For liquor store, the must-have devices for protecting your merchandise are bottle locks, so even if the thieves were to get the liquor out of the store, they wouldn’t be able to enjoy it, because the bottles would have been damaged as he tried to remove the locks.  
Shoplifters don’t always give up easily at the first sight of a problem.  Some of them just keep trying and trying, until they get the merchandise, or they get caught.  A good example of this is a video we’ve all probably seen showing a burglar falling through the ceiling of a liquor store.  If you haven’t seen this yet, I highly suggest you have a look.  The video starts by showing the burglar attempting to climb the outside of the building, and falling.  He is then successful at getting on top of the building, but the next frame shows him falling through the ceiling inside the store.  Once he recovers from the fall, he thinks he is in the clear, so he actually gets a shopping cart and starts “shopping”.  
Once he gets what he wants, he tries the front door and an alarm goes off.  That doesn’t work, so he finds a ladder and tries to go out the way he came in, which is also unsuccessful.  This time he takes another nasty fall through the ceiling, landing on liquor bottles on the shelf.  The guy is obviously visibly angry after this, and tries to throw a bottle at the security camera.  After that, he finally gives up.  The next thing you see is the thief sitting down smoking a cigarette and waiting for the police to arrive.  As soon as he sees them outside, he lays down on the ground ready to be taken into custody.
The reason I used this as an example is that is displayed a thief taking drastic measures and trying everything he could to get away with the liquor.  Liquor bottle security is extremely important for liquor stores, and if the store owner didn’t have a good burglar alarm system in place to keep their merchandise (and would-be thief) in the store, this could have ended much differently.  Although there was damage done to some of the merchandise and the store, the subject was able to be caught, so there is potential to recover some of the loss.  Liquor stores are often the target of shoplifting, burglaries, and robberies, so you have to take all possible measures to ensure your loss is minimal.  A security alarm system, cameras, and merchandise protection devices such as bottle locks should all be included in your bottle security plan in a these types of stores.  
For more information contact us: (liquor bottle security) or call 1.770.426.0547

In retail, the goal is usually to keep people in your store, and stop them from going somewhere else.  This logic is reversed when you are trying to stop shoplifting.  If you want to minimize the occurrence of theft in your liquor store, you’ll have to invest in a good liquor bottle security program.  The goal is to make it as much of a challenge as possible for the thieves, so they don’t have any choice but to risk getting caught at your store, or go to another store where they don’t invest in protecting their merchandise from shoplifters.  For liquor stores, the must-have devices for protecting your merchandise are Bottle Locks, so even if the thieves were to get the liquor out of the store, they wouldn’t be able to enjoy it, because the bottles would have been damaged as he tried to remove the locks.  

Shoplifters don’t always give up easily at the first sight of a problem.  Some of them just keep trying and trying, until they get the merchandise, or they get caught.  A good example of this is a video we’ve all probably seen showing a burglar falling through the ceiling of a liquor store.  If you haven’t seen this yet, I highly suggest you have a look.  The video starts by showing the burglar attempting to climb the outside of the building, and falling.  He is then successful at getting on top of the building, but the next frame shows him falling through the ceiling inside the store.  Once he recovers from the fall, he thinks he is in the clear, so he actually gets a shopping cart and starts “shopping”.  

Once he gets what he wants, he tries the front door and an alarm goes off.  That doesn’t work, so he finds a ladder and tries to go out the way he came in, which is also unsuccessful.  This time he takes another nasty fall through the ceiling, landing on liquor bottles on the shelf.  The guy is obviously visibly angry after this, and tries to throw a bottle at the security camera.  After that, he finally gives up.  The next thing you see is the thief sitting down smoking a cigarette and waiting for the police to arrive.  As soon as he sees them outside, he lays down on the ground ready to be taken into custody.

The reason I used this as an example is that it displayed a thief taking drastic measures and trying everything he could to get away with the liquor.  Liquor bottle security is extremely important for liquor stores, and if the store owner didn’t have a good burglar alarm system in place to keep their merchandise (and would-be thief) in the store, this could have ended much differently.  Although there was damage done to some of the merchandise and the store, the subject was able to be caught, so there is potential to recover some of the loss.  Liquor stores are often the target of shoplifting, burglaries, and robberies, so you have to take all possible measures to ensure your loss is minimal.  A security alarm system, cameras, and merchandise protection devices such as bottle locks should all be included in your bottle security plan in a these types of stores.  

For more information contact us at bottlelock.net or call 1.770.426.0547

 

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