Shopping malls are large public areas in which large groups of people congregate. As such, these areas are particularly susceptible to certain security threats. In order to maintain security in shopping malls, it’s important to understand what the most common threats are so that they can be properly addressed. Here are some security vulnerabilities that exist in shopping malls.

Theft

One of the biggest security threats facing shopping malls is theft. Malls contain large quantities of valuable items that are susceptible to theft. Without proper security precautions, shoplifters can become a major problem in shopping malls.

Vandalism

Because shopping malls are public places, there is a wide variety of people that visit. When many young people visit shopping malls, the threat of vandalism increases. When proper security measures are not taken to deter the threat, young people are more likely to congregate and commit acts of vandalism.

Altercations

In a public place such as a shopping mall, there is a high chance of altercations occurring between customers. This risk is especially high during big sales such as Black Friday where there is a large concentration of visitors with high energy. Without proper security measures in place, altercations between patrons can become violent and compromise the safety of everyone inside.

Unauthorized Entry

Shopping malls have many different entrances and exits for customers, employees, and deliveries. Additionally, there are people carrying packages of various sizes in and out all day long. These factors can make it very difficult to monitor who is coming in and out of the building. Without proper precautions, dangerous or otherwise unauthorized people could enter the shopping mall and pose a security threat.

Car-Related Crimes

With such large numbers of visitors every day, shopping malls typically have garages or parking lots filled with cars that are unattended for long periods of time. With large amounts of unattended cars comes theft. Improperly monitored parking areas leave cars vulnerable to theft and break-ins.

Emergency Situations

Although uncommon, emergency situations such as fires, natural disasters, and attacks can occur in shopping malls. These situations are dangerous for employees and patrons and can be even more so when they cause panic. It’s important to make sure that employees and security professionals are properly prepared for these emergency situations.

Lost Children

Unfortunately, a relatively common issue at shopping malls is lost children. Malls are often crowded and have various interesting things going on. Therefore, children can often wander off and get quickly lost in the crowd. It’s important to have proper security protocols in place to quickly locate lost children and return them to their parents.

Tips for Prevention

In order to properly address these security threats, it’s important to have security protocols in place to handle each of these situations. Access control systems can be beneficial in ensuring that no one enters the mall after hours and that unauthorized individuals do not enter through delivery and employee entrances.

Security systems including surveillance cameras are important to monitor shopping malls. If a security threat takes place, professionals can quickly address the situation before it becomes a problem. The most important aspect of maintaining security in shopping malls is hiring security officers that are properly trained to address all problems and threats. Click here for a full list of advantages to hiring private security guards. When you hire trained security professionals, you can feel confident that potential security vulnerabilities are considered and addressed.

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