Security Gates for Convenience Stores

Convenience stores, variety stores and corner stores are common targets for criminals. These stores are chosen for a variety of reasons. Convenience store crime is common because stores often contain small yet valuable items, such as cigarettes. These items can easily be carried from the store without tools or transportation methods, yet they can be easily be resold by criminals and have a high value on the black market. Many purchases at convenience stores are made with cash instead of credit or debit cards. This means that there are often large amounts of cash on hand. Criminals know this and strike stores in hopes of being able to steal this cash. See our photo gallery on convenience store security gates.

About Xpanda Security Gates

Xpanda has been a North American leader in security gates and physical security tools for more than 30 years. Our dedicated and knowledgeable team focuses on providing durable, reliable and effective security tools along with superior customer service and after sales support. Our extensive coast-to-coast network of installers and our tireless dedication to quality make us the right choice to protect businesses of all types and sizes. For more information on how we can help you secure your retail store, or to receive a free no-obligation quote, please contact us today.

Often times, there are only one or two people working in a convenience store. Also, since many convenience stores are open late, there aren’t very many people around when the stores are closed for business. Criminals take advantage of these facts to strike without anyone seeing them.

Convenience stores are smaller than big box stores and thus criminals are able to get in and out of the store quickly. They do not need to spend a great deal of time walking through the store in order to steal what they are looking for and escape.

These factors show why criminals often target convenience stores. In addition to shoplifting and robberies, convenience stores are often targeted by smash and grab robbers. A smash and grab robbery is a situation where a criminal uses force to break through a door or window, steal as much as he or she can as quickly as possible and leave before anyone can react or respond.

Convenience Store Security Tools

In a smash and grab robbery, criminals destroy property. They break windows, smash through doors and destroy shelving, display cases and other property. Not only do these robberies cost the store owner the cost of the stolen goods, but they also lead to significant repair costs. These repairs can often cause the store to shut down for a period of time following the break in, which costs the store even more money in lost sales.

This is why it is important to protect your convenience store with security tools. However, the type of tools that you use is important. The most effective way to reduce convenience store crime is with a layered security approach that includes security gates.

Since most smash and grab robberies are over in minutes, the authorities don’t have time to respond to an alarm. They may be alerted to the crime by an alarm system sounding, but they won’t be able to get there quickly enough to catch the criminals in the act.

Even when a convenience store has video surveillance cameras installed, criminals hide their faces behind masks, scarves and hoods. Plus, this footage is only helpful after a crime has already taken place. At that point, the damage to your property has already been done.

Physical security gates put a barrier between the criminals and your property. This drastically helps reduce crime, since criminals are more reluctant to strike a property where it will be more difficult and more time consuming to do so. It simply isn’t worth the risk of being caught.

Physical Security Gates and Convenience Stores

Smash and grab robberies happen quickly. Criminals want to be in and out within minutes so that they can escape before the police or security guards arrive on scene. By installing security gates and other physical security tools, you reduce the likelihood of a crime taking place.

In addition to installing gates on the windows and doors of your property, you can also install them in places where they will protect valuable items. Keeping cigarettes locked behind a security gate prevents crimes such as shoplifting and smash and grab theft. Securing your stock room or your safe behind gates drastically reduces the likelihood of a criminal being able to break into these locations.

Criminals do not want to spend a great deal of time or utilize complex tools in order to attempt to break through a security gate. Instead, they want to smash through, steal and escape. Security gates make doing so much more difficult.

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