Hampshire Police are reminding businesses to check their security after two robberies on the Isle of Wight.
Officers are visiting premises in their local areas to check on existing crime prevention measures.
Police are advising managers and staff at shops and businesses to ensure:
? Valuable stock is locked away securely during closing hours.
? Burglar alarms are activated when the premises are unoccupied.
? Photographs of valuable stock are taken to help trace items that may be reported stolen.
? CCTV is installed and kept in good working order.
? Perimeters are secure. This includes checking entrances, exits and outbuildings are locked, and not storing tools or other items such as ladders in visible and accessible places where potential burglars could use them to force entry to premises.
? Property is marked and logged. Etching, engraving, electronic tagging, website registration and ultraviolet marking all assists police in tracing and recovering stolen goods, and apprehending those responsible.
? A minimum amount of cash is kept in the tills. Bank your till takings as regularly as possible.
? Any safe on your premises should be the correct size to store your cash securely.
Detective Sergeant John Walton of Isle of Wight CID said: “Shop robberies on the island are very rare, but both these cases are clearly distressing for the victims affected. We are determined to track and arrests suspects as quickly as possible. Offenders who’ve committed similar robberies here over the past two years have been caught by police and put before the courts where they were sent to prison for several years.
“As the festive season approaches, we should be prepared for the prospect of a small minority of criminals targeting shops for money and goods. The proactive support of the business community can prove vital in limiting opportunities for robbery and thefts.
“Police have carried out reassurance visits and crime prevention checks at shops after similar robberies here in recent years. Officers are increasing the number of visits to businesses on their local beats this month as a result of these two crimes this week.
“We appreciate that some security precautions are costly for businesses in the current financial climate, but it remains of paramount importance for managers and staff to be vigilant and check security on their premises is as robust as possible.”
Further crime prevention advice is available by phoning Hampshire Constabulary on 101 or 0845 045 45 45, and online via this link:
