What Types of Criminals are Attracted to Your Business?

In a recent study, about 80% of participants agreed that certain businesses can unintentionally and indirectly increase crime. Many business owners agree and take precautionary security measures to ensure the safety of patrons, employees, and assets. So which types of businesses attract which types of criminals? Read on for more information. 

Sports Stadiums and Concert Venues 

Often used for both during different times of the year, stadiums used for large sporting events or concerts for big-name musical acts are often a hotbed for petty crime. Consider that thousands of people, from all walks of life, are gathered together in a relatively tight space, for the number of people in attendance. Petty criminals like pickpockets are often present in these crowded areas. It’s easier to find a distracted target and easier to disappear into the crowd before being caught. In the event that alcohol is sold there, visitors may be even less aware of their surroundings, making them an easy victim.

In addition, the massive parking areas that usually surround said stadiums and music venues are filled to the brim with unattended vehicles, whose owners will certainly be distracted for at least a couple of hours. Car break-ins are a common occurrence during sporting events. 

Retail

In retail stores, where the inventory is out on display for customers to peruse at their leisure, it can be a challenge to keep an eye on everything. Small high-value items like cosmetics, watches, and jewelry are often the major aims for people looking to get more than what they want to pay for. Shoplifters may scout out the location to make sure they can take what they’re after without too much hassle. 

Pawnshops

Pawnshops often have a bad reputation for being a business built on crime. It is a fairly well-known fact that many items you might find in a pawn shop are stolen. The most stolen items that are brought to pawn shops in exchange for cash are jewelry, precious metals, musical instruments, and electronics.

And because pawn shops are a source of quick cash, they’re often used by people in need of a fast payday, whether the amount they receive for the item is fair or not. People struggling with drug addiction are common customers bringing items to pawn off for a fast fix. Furthermore, because pawn shops have all of these items close at hand, they also tend to attract shoplifters and robbers. 

Bars and Nightclubs

Due to the sale and consumption of alcohol on the premises, bars and nightclubs are often hotspots for aggression, violence, and sexual misconduct. Guards are often dropped, due to the relaxing nature of alcohol, and tensions can rise suddenly with the reduced ability to check one’s impulses. Generally speaking, though, these businesses do all they can to discourage this kind of behavior, and the presence of bouncers is a helpful addition. 

Artery Lock: Helping a Variety of Industries Secure Their Businesses.

While no business owner wants to have to deal with criminals, it is a fact that certain people with negative intentions will be attracted to businesses that can offer what they need. Luckily, advancements in business and home security systems are helping to secure businesses from would-be criminals. If you’d like to learn more about how a better security system could benefit your business, contact Artery Lock today.