What to do when your retail store is broken into
There are few things that are worse than arriving to your store in the morning to open up and realising it was broken into overnight. When this happens, try not to panic. Follow these simple steps for dealing with a break-in. Having a plan can help relax you and get the necessary details taken care of.
Call the Police
The very first thing you should do when your store is broken into is call the police. This is important for multiple reasons. First of all, the burglar might still be in the neighbourhood, possibly lurking in the alleyway or still in the store somewhere. Do not enter the store until police arrive, just in case. This also gives you the opportunity to file a police report. If the police find any evidence that could point to who broke into the store, there is a better chance of them getting caught. If you have security cameras, that is likely the first thing police officers will check.
Figure Out What is Missing
This is something you will either do while the police officer is still there or after they leave. You need to know exactly what is missing, not only to go in the police report, but to provide information to your insurance company. Carefully enter the store and begin looking around at the merchandise that is either knocked over, or possibly missing. It is a good idea to check cash registers and safes first. Burglars often go for the money first. The next thing to check is any glass cases where you might have had valuable hidden, such as jewelry, watches, or similar items. Next, start looking around the aisles of the store and note anything that appears to be missing. It can sometimes be difficult to judge based on a first glance, so you might not realise everything that is gone until you look at your inventory.
Contact Your Insurance Company
You need to contact your insurance company to let them know of the break-in and explain any loss you experienced. If you have property insurance, they should reimburse you for any repairs you have to make to the property. You might also have crime insurance coverage, depending on the type of policy you have. They also need to know about the merchandise that is damaged or missing, in case you plan to file a claim for that property.
Get Emergency Glass Replacement
If the burglar got into your store by breaking a window, it needs to be repaired right away. This will help keep the business safe from further intruders. Call up your local glass company and request emergency glass replacement. Many of these companies are fully prepared to send someone out the same day, often within a few hours, to have the glass window replaced. After having ti replaced, clean up all of the glass and other messes to make the store safe for employees and customers.