now use a bottle lock, either one that fits over the neck of the bottle, or a "bottle cap." The bottle-cap style bottle locks not only set off the EAS system, but will also deny the shoplifter the ability to open the bottle with- out breaking it. "We've had clients who have had shoplifters open bottles in the store and pour them out into another container," said Bregar, whose Loss Prevention Systems sells
tags or bottle locks. Wilson is not shy about his
Various brands with security caps from Loss Prevention Systems.
both Checkpoint Systems and the EASy Bottle, a cap- style bottle lock, from Alpha Systems. "These bottle locks have been around for about six to eight years, but have really begun to pick up steam in the last cou- ple," he added. A Checkpoint system costs around $1,400 to $2,300 per door, plus the cost of the special
security. He has signs posted that the store is under video sur- veillance. And he has hired an off-duty police officer to be in the store, in uniform, during the evening hours. "At $30 an hour, that's not cheap," he admitted, "but some things you just can't put a price on. It's worth it to have peace of mind about the safety of my employees and it
gives customers peace of mind as well."
Security concerns are always going to exist, perhaps especially for stores that sell liquor. But Wilson has not had a major loss or break-in or robbery in four years. "You've got to have security. You've got to stay on top of it," he said.
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