The retail industry experienced $50.6 billion in losses due to various types of theft and fraud in 2018. For a small business, even small financial losses due to internal or external theft hurt the bottom line.

A strategically placed security camera can deter theft and help you gather evidence when a loss happens. Security cameras come in all shapes and sizes, often obscured as everyday items, such as smoke detectors, air purifiers, and clocks.

The variety gives you flexible placement options, but figuring out where to put the cameras can be overwhelming. Consider the areas most vulnerable to theft, damage, or other potential losses. Positioning the camera to capture clear, helpful images is also important.

Keep reading to explore some of the best options.

All Entrances and Exits

Create a visual log of everyone who enters and exits your building by placing cameras at all doors. This helps you spot people who shouldn't be there and identify people involved in theft or other criminal activity. You can also use the footage to determine how long a person stays in your business.

Position the camera so it captures the faces of people as they go through the door to better identify the individuals. One trick to do this is to hide the camera near something that draws attention just inside the door, such as a sign or decoration. As people walk in the door, they turn to look at the object and end up looking directly at the camera without realizing it so you get a clear shot of their faces.

Consider lighting issues during the daytime with camera placement. When the door opens, bright outside light can make it difficult to get a clear image of the person. Position the camera so the sunlight doesn't affect the quality of the images.

Cash Register Security Camera

In a retail business, your cash registers present a major vulnerability from both customers and employees. Customers may try to sneak some items without paying for them. Employees may steal from the cash register or let an accomplice get away without paying for items.

You may need multiple cameras to capture all angles of the transaction. Focus a camera on the customer area so you can get a clear shot of the face and what the customer is doing. Don't mount this camera on the ceiling, as it will likely only capture the top of the person's head and not the face.

Position another camera to capture the cash drawer itself. This lets you see all cash that goes into and out of the drawer to ensure your employees aren't stealing from the registers.

You might also want a general camera that shows the entire point-of-sale area at once, including the cashier, cash register, and customer. Use this camera to look for suspicious activity from either party.

Reception Areas

One of the busiest spots in an office is the reception area. Monitor the people who approach the reception area with a camera mounted above the desk or disguised on the desk as a clock, picture frame, or similar item.

Cameras in this area record interactions between customers and staff in case a customer complains about how they're treated. You can also use it to ensure your reception staff stays busy. If you suspect fraudulent handling of monies received by your reception staff, the camera may catch those behaviors.

Supply Storage Areas

One of the financial benefits of hidden cameras is preventing employee theft, and one place to do that is in supply storage areas. Position one or more cameras to cover all angles of the room. Position one at the door to monitor everything that leaves the room.

Consider placing cameras in sensitive document storage areas to protect those items. Client records or proprietary company information can be damaging if it's leaked.

A camera lets you monitor who accesses those documents and what they do with them. You might catch an unauthorized employee looking at the files or even take photos of them with a phone.

If you monitor the videos regularly, you may be able to catch the illegal access as it happens. If you watch it later, you at least have evidence proving that the person stole the data.

Warehouses

A similar option is your warehouse area, where you can watch how employees handle goods. Since all of your inventory is in the warehouse, it's a prime target for theft.

Warehouse cameras can capture attempted employee theft. Your warehouse may also be vulnerable to outside theft if burglars break into your business or sneak into unattended areas.

Position cameras throughout the warehouse, including the entrances and exits, to watch when inventory leaves. Mount cameras on the loading docks to ensure merchandise makes it into the warehouse. You may also catch employees moving inventory onto the loading dock and into the vehicle of an accomplice.

Warehouse cameras also capture how employees handle the goods. If you notice damaged products, you might discover employees tossing the items around or dropping them and causing the damage.

If an employee gets hurt or complains about working conditions, the camera can record what actually happens. You might discover a workplace injury happened due to the employee ignoring established safety precautions.

Parking Lots

Parking lot cameras give customers and employees extra security against break-ins or assaults. If your employees work late at night or go to the parking lot alone, the cameras may help them feel more secure.

The recording can help identify responsible parties for criminal acts. They also capture parking lot accidents or hit-and-runs if they're positioned well.

Use parking lot cameras to gather evidence for suspected theft in your business. You may be able to capture a license plate from someone who steals from your store. If an employee has an accomplice for internal theft, the video can help you identify the other person.

Secluded, Hidden Areas

Walk the exterior of your building to spot tucked-away areas that are ideal for illegal activity. This might include the dumpster or a rarely used entrance on the back of side of your building.

External threats may use those areas to enter the building. If an employee is stealing from you, they may use those lower-traffic areas to sneak items out of the building. A staffer might put a bag of products in the dumpster to retrieve later, or they might meet an accomplice by the side door that no one uses.

Secure Your Workplace

Security camera positioning is crucial to capturing clear images that help your case, whether you're dealing with theft, harassment accusations, or unproductive employees. Hidden cameras offer a discreet security option when placed strategically.

Are you ready to protect your business? Browse our hidden camera selection to find an option that fits all the strategic locations inside your workplace.