Obviously, the goal of any business owner is to be successful. One of the biggest enemies to your success is crime. There are some things that you can do to minimize your exposure to crime. Contained in this packet are proven techniques and ideas gathered from years of police and business experience.

This web page contains information obtained from the personal experience of the author, interviews with co-workers, suspect and victims and research on the World Wide Web. In the event that you should desire ongoing education on any issue, consider searching the web. A lot of the same information will be covered but occasionally a good idea presents itself. It should be noted that these tips are not currently industry specific. Thus, approach this with a buffet approach. You should take what you can use and apply it.

The general tips are based on CPTED principles.

1. Put your public contact or check-out counter near the front doors where you can see your store the best, and where you can be seen from outside.
   
2. Clearly mark places the public can and can not go. When they are in a place they should not be, it won't be a mystery what they are doing.
   
3. Lighting is crucial. Darkness is your enemy.
4. Do not cover up your windows with posters and banners. Visibility is your friend.
   
5. Use interior shelving that allows visibility. Align your shelves to provide the highest visibility possible and use mirrors to compensate for blind spots.
   Over all, make note of the things around your business that attract people, such as payphones, bike racks, water features etc. and keep an eye on these places.