For many small shops, theft by customers is a daily problem.
In Victoria alone, police recorded more than 37,000 theft offences at retail locations in the year to June 2026. That’s around 100 a day. Each one is stock an owner has to replace, and often a staff member who no longer feels safe at work.
Nobody stops every theft. A few practical changes will make your shop a harder target and help you spot losses sooner.
Safety comes first
No product is worth an injury. Make it clear to every team member that they should not chase, physically stop or argue with a suspected thief. Note what happened, keep yourself safe, and report it.
Write down a simple procedure and put it somewhere staff can find it. It should cover what to do during an incident, who to call and how to record it. Staff who know what is expected of them feel more confident and make better decisions under pressure.
Make the shop harder to steal from
Opportunistic thieves rely on not being noticed. Small layout changes help more than you might expect. Here’s our advice based on years of experience serving small business retailers.
- Clear sightlines. Lower fixtures where possible so staff can see across the floor. Remove displays that create blind corners.
- Keep high-value stock close. Put expensive, small and easily resold items near the counter or in locked cabinets. Display one and keep the rest out the back.
- Use mirrors and visible cameras. A visible camera and a monitor showing the live picture near the entrance are strong deterrents. Make sure footage is clear, time-stamped and kept long enough to be useful.
- Mind the entrance. Avoid placing tempting stock right beside the door.
- Tidy displays. A neat, full display makes gaps obvious. A messy one hides them.
Greet every customer
The cheapest security measure is a friendly hello. G’Day or thanks for stopping by or even a simple hi could make a big difference. It tells people you’ve seen them.
. Encourage staff to move around the floor during quiet periods rather than staying behind the counter.
Know what you are losing
Many retailers only discover theft when a customer asks for something that should be on the shelf. By then, the loss may have been building for months.
Your POS can tell you a lot here.
- Regular cycle counts. Don’t wait for an annual stocktake. Count high-risk categories weekly or fortnightly and compare the result with system stock.
- Watch variance reports. Repeated shortfalls in the same lines point to a pattern.
- Review refunds, voids and no-sales. Not all shrinkage walks out the front door. Unusual refund or void activity by user, time or terminal deserves a closer look.
- Check deliveries against invoices. Supplier short-shipments are a form of loss too. Count deliveries before they reach the shelf.
Once you know where the losses are, you know what to move, what to lock up and when you need an extra person on the floor.
Record and report every incident
Reporting a $40 theft can feel pointless. Do it anyway. Reports help police identify repeat offenders and make the case for more local resources. Keep a simple incident log with the date, time, items, estimated value, description and footage reference.
Talk to neighbouring shops too. Many centres and shopping strips have informal groups that share information about repeat offenders, and some work directly with local police.
Look after your team
Dealing with theft and abuse wears people down. Check in with staff after an incident, and avoid rostering anyone alone at higher-risk times if you can. People who feel backed up stay longer and notice more.
What to do next
Walk your shop as if you were trying to steal from it. Note the blind spots and the easiest items to take. Move your highest-risk stock, set up a regular count for those lines, and brief your team on your safety procedure.
If you would like to see how stock variance, cycle counting and refund reporting work in Tower, Tim and Justin can take you through it. Call 1300 662 957 or email sales@towersystems.com.au.
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