SiteScape² - Retail Applications.
by Graham Tull

Introduction: -

IES has extensive experience of providing sophisticated digital video surveillance technology into challenging retail environments. Whether it is for the protection of low or high-ticket items, the retailers concerns are the same – to prevent theft through shoplifting, staff pilfering and/or malicious damage and to protect staff and assets.

However, IES fully appreciates that the shopping environment is designed to be an inviting, pleasant and aesthetically pleasing place to be. Badly designed and located security technology can be intrusive and ultimately create an atmosphere that is counter-productive.

It is with this experience and knowledge that IES has approached the design of many systems that provide the appropriate levels of security, whilst remaining discrete but highly effective.

Typical Applications: -

IES video surveillance technology has proven to be very effective in the reduction of criminal activity within retail environments. Of course retailers have varying needs depending on the type of store and goods on sale. This is why the IES approach of developing highly flexible and sophisticated technology has proven so successful. The following case studies will help to define the applications to which IES technology can be put.

High Value Jewellery

IES has previously supplied digital recording technology to Asprey’s, Mappin & Webb and Watches of Switzerland stores.

The digital video systems incorporated high quality colour cameras linked with the intruder detection systems and able to transmit video signals to the central alarm monitoring station if alarms where generated.

During normal working hours the system provided continuous recording and monitoring of the display counters to ensure that neither customers nor staff where able to remove goods without paying.

The systems were effective in reducing the internal thefts from the stores, as the staff appreciated the improved security measures. In addition, on a couple of occasions the systems recorded attempted robberies. The video evidence proved invaluable to the police investigating the crime and enabled them to target their investigations more accurately.

Department Store

IES installed a large-scale digital video surveillance system in to a House of Fraser department store. This store had a range of high-value goods which presented significant risk e.g. perfumes, jewellery, designer clothing.

The system supplied was designed around the use of up to 32 high-speed colour dome cameras mounting within the ceiling tiles and some covert cameras. The system allowed store security personnel to continuously monitor the high-risk areas and communicate any potential problems to the floor staff.

The system was linked into the access control system, controlling entry to stock areas, so that cameras could automatically move to pre-set views of stock room doors when opened. This allowed for a complete video audit trail of staff members entering various stock areas within the store. All cameras where also able to operate patrol sequences in which they looked at specified areas for variable periods before moving to next views.

At night the light levels in the store where reduced to emergency levels until an alarm was detected, at which time the lighting levels automatically came up allowing the cameras to search for any intruders.

The IES system utilised its advanced video motion detection software to record activity to central hard disk drives. This system used a network architecture to allow operators to review video pictures without needing to interfere with the recording systems.

Electrical Retailer

IES supplied and installed a sophisticated video recording system to Dial Electronics in Moscow. This system was interfaced with a tamper alarm system so that if goods where taken from the display shelves the fully functional cameras would automatically move to the pre-set view that best covered the area of alarm.

This system was further enhanced by interfacing with the electronic article surveillance (EAS) system to ensure that any alarms at the front door where fully recorded.

Food Retail

IES has provided numerous digital recording systems for food retailers including ASDA, Somerfields, Tesco and Sainsbury’s. All have the same basic requirement to reduce shoplifting, staff pilferage and supply chain fraud. ASDA where one of the first food retailers in Britain to adopt digital video recording and we ultimately supplied them over 70 stores with networked 32 camera systems.

We also developed a trial system with ASDA to reduce shoplifting through trolleys being pushed out the main entrance without paying for the goods. This involved the development of a radio frequency identification device (RFID) tagging system with transponders buried in the wheels of the trolleys and detection loops buried in the floor. The system was interfaced with the video surveillance system to ensure that any violations where fully recorded.

Fuel Retail

IES has worked with many fuel companies, including ESSO, Elf, Texaco, Q8 and ADNOC to produce systems to meet the challenges of protecting fuel purchase and retail unit sales.

In some cases the IES technology has been interfaced with the electronic point of sale (EPOS) systems so that car number plates, customer faces, fuel grades, values, EPOS number and credit card details are all recorded as part of the transaction.

We have recently worked closely with the marketing team of a major Oil Company developing the use of digital video surveillance technology for use in unmanned petrol filling stations. This includes both local site control and remote surveillance of the site over telephone lines should any technical or safety issues be detected by the system. Eight working sites have been commissioned to evaluate the business model and have proven to be very successful.

Summary

Our experience in a wide range of retail environments has allowed us to produce products that not only accommodate the typical needs of retailers, but also quite often have been developed with the direct design input of retailers. IES’ SiteScape² technology provides the most flexible and high performance system on the market. The ability to use a combination of colour, monochrome and moveable cameras, all able to record at differing rates depending on the location and alarm status means that users can benefit from a system that always captures the optimum amount of video in the very best quality. This combined with the many interface possibilities including camera control protocols, alarm and EPOS systems makes the IES technology the perfect choice for challenging retail environments.