Security for jewellery stores and high-value shops

• Smash-and-grab: over in moments; the measure is having little within reach and slowing access to it.
• Armed robbery: the measure is controlled entry and a routine that protects people — not resistance.
• Distraction theft: one asks to see many pieces, another draws attention away; the measure is one piece at a time.
• Out-of-hours burglary: the measure is empty displays at night, a safe, and an alarm with a procedure.

The general method for retail losses is in retail loss prevention. If the shop is inside a mall, see also who is responsible for what between the centre and the tenant.

• Electric lock with a release button behind the counter, plus an intercom or a camera showing the door.
• Double door (airlock) if the space allows: the second door does not open until the first has closed.
• Staff decide: if something is off — a helmet, a hidden face, a group waiting outside — the door simply stays shut. No explanation and no argument needed.
• Never under pressure: do not open because someone keeps knocking or says they are in a hurry.

The guard at the door greets and observes; they do not search bags and do not hold anyone. What a guard may and may not do: the dedicated guide.

1. Before going in: one opens up, the other watches the street and nearby cars from a distance.
2. “All clear” signal: the first person, inside with the door locked, gives an agreed signal; if it doesn’t come, the second stays away and calls 100.
3. Displays: filled only with the door locked; at night they stay empty and, if possible, open, so it is visible there is nothing in them.
4. Keys and codes: split, so no single person opens both safe and alarm alone; a time-delay safe if you have one.
5. At the counter all day: one piece at a time, and the tray is never left unattended.

A guard’s role in a jewellery store is deterrence before and eyes during. Greek law on security companies requires them not to use means and methods that endanger citizens’ safety (Law 2518/1997, art. 4 §1(ζ) and §2(α)). A confrontation with armed robbers in a shop with customers does exactly that.

• During: stay calm, hands visible, no sudden movements, say what you are about to do before doing it.
• Panic button: only if it can be pressed without anyone noticing.
• After: lock up, call 100, or 112 if anyone is hurt; nobody touches the cases or broken glass.
• Record: each witness writes down separately what they saw; list what was taken; copy the footage before it is overwritten.

No piece of jewellery is worth an injury. In a real incident the police decide; in a real case, get legal advice.

The Hellenic DPA’s Directive 1/2011, applied alongside the GDPR (DPA), has a specific article for shops — article 19 — and it names jewellery shops explicitly:

• Allowed: entrances and exits, tills and cash-keeping areas, stock rooms, plant rooms, car parks (§2).
• Customer floor, by exception: the Directive accepts it for large-surface shops and goods of great value — giving jewellery shops as the example — provided surveillance cannot be achieved another way. The camera must then focus as little as possible on customers’ and employees’ faces, with as wide an angle as possible (§3).
• Never: in areas where staff work that are not open to the public, or in toilets (§4); and no sound (art. 6 §5).
• Sparingly: the Directive asks for milder means to be preferred, giving “hiring specialised staff” as an example (§1).

Whether your own shop meets the conditions of §3 is a question for your data protection officer or lawyer before any camera points at the counter. Signs, retention and the ban on monitoring employees are covered in CCTV and GDPR for businesses.

• Alarm: zones for the door, the displays and the safe, plus a silent panic button; the sequence from signal to police is in alarm and police procedure.
• Stock insurance policy: check what it presupposes — for example which measures must be active at night — and whether your daily routine actually meets it. Don’t assume.
• The security company’s insurance: a different thing — it covers the company’s own liability and you require it in the contract; what to check is in security company liability insurance.

OVIT works with local teams and gives one picture of patrols, incidents and reports on the Guardly platform, so you can see what happened at opening, at closing and overnight. For a proposal fitted to your shop: contact us.