NCJ Number
77143
Date Published
Unknown
Length
28 pages
Annotation
This Portland, Oreg., crime prevention manual is directed to business owners and contains tips to assist them in protecting themselves, their businesses, and their employees from commercial crime.
Abstract
Suggestions and strategies to reduce the chances for commercial crime cover shoplifting, robbery, burglary, credit card and check fraud, office building security, and construction site security. For each criminal violation, Oregon law provisions are cited, and the penalties are noted. In the first section, shoplifting methods are outlined, and prevention and apprehension strategies are described. The role of employees in apprehension and prevention are stressed, and the justice system response, including restitution, is presented. The section on robbery suggests routine use of marked money in the till and cautions against keeping large amounts of money on the premises. Hints for safely transporting money and for physical security are given. In the event of a robbery, the victim is counseled to remain calm, not to resist, and to carefully not the robber's physical appearance and escape route. Such details are important when reporting the robbery to police. Burglary prevention at the business is best accomplished through door, window, and building security. Security measures include adequate lighting, the use of alarms, and property marking. Finally, credit card and check frauds are described, and fraud prevention is discussed. Office building security is augmented by owners and employees being alert, challenging strangers, and watching out for con artists. Design considerations are also reviewed, and a general security checklist for both opening and closing is provided. Construction site security is also outlined, and a checklist is included.