Audio Monitoring As A Key To Addressing Large-Scale Retail Theft

• Smash-and-grab retail theft can be done in as little as 2-3 minutes, contain 20-30 perpetrators, and frequently involve physical altercations
• No signs of preference shown as to what goods are being stolen
• Speakers with two-way (talk/listen) capabilities can be utilized to call out to perpetrators to deter them when the crime is taking place whether it’s a prerecorded message or live voice
• Audio recorded during robberies can be used as evidence in criminal prosecution

What’s Happening

Headlines as of recently have been plastered with the latest theft trend that has been making retailers rethink their approach to store security. “Smash-and-grab” style robberies have been a popular spectacle hitting stores across the country in recent times. In these robberies a large group of individuals will come flooding into a store taking whatever they can, and usually being done in about 2 to 3 minutes. The sheer number of invaders combined with the quick time it takes to loot these stores makes it very hard for police and security forces to not only prevent these instances of retail theft, but to detain these criminals as well.

Those Affected

These robberies have been hitting stores and show no signs of preference as to what goods are being stolen. According to The Hill, an American newspaper and digital media company, Chicago had four smash-and-grab robberies in a two day span that took place at a Canada Goose location, a Foot Locker, North Face store, and a cell phone retailer. In Burnsville Minnesota, a Best Buy fell victim to this style of robbery and was rushed by a group of 20-30 individuals who all fled the scene with electronics and other goods. Major California cities have not been excluded from these criminal acts as well with Los Angeles seeing several similar cases, and San Francisco locations of Burberry and Louis Vuitton being hit.

Unfortunately, the crime doesn’t stop at the theft of goods. Stated by the Los Angeles Times, several of these robberies took place on Friday evening. However, a number of them involved physical altercations with the staff with several employees being pushed to the ground amidst the fray, with one being sprayed with an alleged chemical agent.

Solutions

During these retail thefts perpetrators will communicate with one another verbally, whether it’s calling each other by name or verbally coordinating what action to commit next. Both can be used in audio forensics by authorities to prove criminal intent when it comes to prosecuting these perpetrators. This is where audio systems need to be placed in ordinance with video security systems, whether it be a live feed or unmanned. Speakers with two-way (talk/listen) capabilities could be effectively utilized to call out to perpetrators to deter them when the crime is taking place whether it’s a prerecorded message or live voice, all while still collecting forensic evidence as a device with only a recording capability would.

Louroe Product Solutions for Large-Scale Retail Theft

• VeriFact 550 (LE-550)
• VeriFact 555 (LE-555)
• DigiFact 830 (LE-830)
• DigiFact 825 (LE-825)
• Verifact 665 (LE-665)
• VeriFact 650 (LE-650)
• DigiFact 855 (LE-855)
• DigiFact 851 (LE-851)

Takeaway

By utilizing two-way (talk/listen) audio technology in security systems, agents of law enforcement could effectively deter and collect crucial information regarding the actions of perpetrators. Louroe Electronics offers many products that could be used to help protect retailers, hospitals, places of public transport, schools, and many more.