Have you ever found yourself in that awkward predicament where you’re strolling through a parking lot towards a store, only to be approached by someone asking for money? Or perhaps, if you’re a woman, you’ve experienced the uneasy feeling of walking past a group of men hanging outside a gas station, hoping they won’t catcall you. These instances of loitering can turn a simple trip to the store into an uncomfortable and unsettling ordeal, leaving you saying, “Well, I’m never going there again.”
If you’re a business owner, you certainly wouldn’t want loiterers hanging around your establishment and putting your customers in uncomfortable situations like this. So, what’s the solution? How can you tackle loitering when your store is already understaffed? The most effective and effortless solution to prevent loitering is by using video analytics with your security camera system.
The Impact of Loitering On Businesses
Maintaining a safe and secure environment is important for businesses of all sizes. One often-overlooked aspect of security is the detection of loitering, which can carry various risks to both employees and customers. Loitering means “to remain in an area for no obvious reason”. It can appear in different forms, ranging from individuals lingering near entrances and exits to groups gathering in parking lots or common areas.
Criminal Activity
Although the act of loitering may seem harmless, it can be a warning sign of impending criminal activity. Individuals or groups lurking around business premises, particularly near entrances, exits, or secluded corners, may be scouting potential pickpocketing targets. Some loiterers might also be assessing the building’s security vulnerabilities in preparation for a robbery. Those standing around restricted areas like inventory rooms or staff lounges may be attempting to sneak in, possibly with the intent to steal merchandise or cash. By identifying and addressing instances of loitering, businesses can reduce the risk of criminal activity.
Hostile Environment
Even in the absence of criminal intent, the presence of loiterers can create an atmosphere of unease and deter customers from visiting a business. Panhandlers and vagrants lingering around the establishment may intimidate or harass shoppers, prompting them go to stores where they feel more safe. As a result, the business may lose profits and sales as customers opt to shop elsewhere. Therefore, addressing loitering is essential not only for maintaining security but also for cultivating a welcoming environment that keeps customers coming back.
Threat to Safety
Besides causing discomfort, loiterers can jeopardize the safety of employees and clients. If loiterers interact with guests and become aggressive, the situation could quickly escalate into an emergency. Additionally, employees might be required to ask loiterers to leave the premises, putting themselves at risk of harm if the individual becomes violent. This risk of confrontations and altercations might increase stress and anxiety levels among employees, negatively impacting their overall well-being and job satisfaction.
Using Video Analytics for Loitering Detection
To mitigate these risks, businesses can integrate video analytics with their surveillance cameras. Video analytics are artificial intelligence-powered algorithms that analyze video footage in real-time. These algorithms essentially function as vigilant “eyes”, scanning video footage for any behavior or activity that deviates from the norm. With this capability, video analytics can detect and alert security personnel to potentially threatening situations as they occur, such as instances of loitering.
Automatic Security Alerts
One of the key advantages of video analytics is their ability to autonomously identify suspicious activity without requiring constant monitoring by security personnel. When the system detects behavior that suggests loitering, such as someone remaining in a specific area for an extended period of time, it can trigger immediate alerts to security teams or designated authorities. This allows businesses to intervene quickly, preventing potential security breaches or criminal incidents before they escalate. The automatic detection of threats not only lightens the workload for staff members but also improves security monitoring and response times.
Customized Parameters
Moreover, different businesses can customize video analytics to meet their security needs and operational demands. Companies have the flexibility to configure various parameters, including time of day and specific locations. For instance, they can mark virtual perimeters or zones within the premises where loitering detection is crucial, such as near cash registers or vault rooms. Additionally, businesses might choose to detect loitering only during peak hours to ensure the safety of customers and employees when they are most vulnerable. By focusing their security efforts when and where they need it the most, they can optimize their security resources and respond to potential threats effectively.
Group Detection
In addition to detecting individual loiterers, video analytics can also identify large groups clustering in an area. These groups may be linked to organized retail crime rings or other criminal organizations. Video analytics can count the number of individuals in the area and notify security teams if a large group is detected. By spotting these groups, businesses can conduct further investigations and address emerging security threats.
Prevent Loitering with IFOVEA
By detecting instances of loitering with video analytics, businesses and organizations can strengthen security measures on their premises, therefore creating a welcoming and safe environment for both employees and visitors. With IFOVEA, our cloud-based software solution equipped with advanced video analytics capabilities, you can take your security to the next level with little effort. IFOVEA offers real-time monitoring and analysis of surveillance footage, allowing for the instant identification of suspicious behavior, including loitering.
Integrating IFOVEA in your security infrastructure is both simple and cost-effective. The software is compatible with just about any current surveillance system, reducing costs and hassle. Monthly plans with video analytics start at just $9.99 per camera, and you can cancel at any time. Contact the 2M Technology sales team at +1 (214) 988-4302 or at [email protected] to subscribe to IFOVEA today. To explore the platform and learn more information, register for a free live demo using the link below.