Owning your own convenience store can be a fun and lucrative career, allowing you the luxury of being your own boss. Unfortunately, convenience stores can also be vulnerable to crimes like armed burglaries, shoplifting, and vandalism, which damage your bottom line and put your staff at risk. In fact, studies have shown that some convenience stores are not only vulnerable to crime, but also vulnerable to repeated instances of crime. To make sure that your own convenience store doesn't face that serious problem, be sure to implement these crime prevention strategies:

Invest in a Commercial Security System

Commercial security systems are more robust and effective for protecting a store than installing a simple residential alarm system. Your commercial security system should include the following features:

• Several HD cameras.

Your cameras should be placed in such a way that they provide clear video monitoring of the entire exterior and interior of your convenience store. Having your system installed by a professional company with significant commercial security experience will help ensure this is the case.

• Fully monitored service.

Your security system will not be especially helpful if it isn't monitored. A monitored system will immediately alert the appropriate authorities if a threat is detected. If someone attempts to break in or rob your store, the police will be on their way instantly.

• A panic button for staff.

One of the main differences between a residential and commercial security system is that a commercial system should have at least one panic button near the register, so that your employee can trigger the alarm and notify the police instantly if someone attempts a robbery.

• Remote access.

As the owner of a store, you want your store manager and your staff to be able to handle things when you aren't around. With remote access, you will be able to monitor, arm, and disarm your store's security system from anywhere using a smartphone app.

For assistance with choosing the right commerical security system for your needs, contact a company like A Tech / Easy Living Store.

Keep Your Exterior Well-Tended and Clean

Most convenience store owners spend a lot of time keeping the inside of their stores clean and appealing to customers, but it's a mistake to neglect the exterior. If your property is clean of litter and trash, your landscaping is tidy and well-tended, and you have graffiti and other forms of vandalism cleaned up immediately, this sends a clear message to prospective criminals that you care about your property and are vigilant in protecting it. A neglected and unkempt exterior, on the other hand, will always be more appealing to criminals.

Add Motion-sensing Lights

Having a well-lit, bright exterior will scare away many would-be criminals who prefer to commit crimes under the cover of darkness where they are less likely to be spotted by passersby. Motion-sensing flood lights are an ideal solution because they will turn on as soon as anyone approaches your building, and since they don't stay on 24 hours a day they will also save you money on your electric bill.

Practice Proper Cash Control

It's important to minimize the amount of cash on hand in the register at any given time, and to post signage reflecting that only a small amount of cash is kept in the register to make robbery less tempting. One great way to handle this without having to make constant trips to the bank is to utilize a time-delayed drop safe. These are placed under the counter where the cash registers are located, and trusted employees collect and secure cash in them from the drawer periodically throughout the day. They open on a programmable delay, which makes them very unattractive to robbers.

By following these tips, you will be actively preventing crime at your convenience store, protecting your livelihood as well as your staff.