Grocery loss prevention

Grocery store loss prevention: cameras, networking, and audits in Indiana

Shrink hurts margins. Here’s how Indiana grocery stores can blend camera coverage, access control, and segmented networks to reduce theft, protect staff, and speed audits.

By John January 6, 2026 Retail security

Grocery layouts mix wide aisles, loading docks, cold storage, and cash-heavy lanes. Loss prevention succeeds when coverage, access, and networking work together—and when managers can pull proof quickly.

This checklist distills what works across Indianapolis, Carmel, and statewide stores: camera placement, POS-safe networks, and reporting that satisfies LP teams and insurers.

Key takeaways

Map cameras to entrances, lanes, high-shrink aisles, docks, and offices. Segment POS/cameras from guest Wi‑Fi. Train managers on exports and alerts.

  • Priority coverage. Entrances, cash lanes, self-checkout, liquor/tobacco aisles, and docks get the clearest angles.
  • Stable networks. POS, cameras, and scanners ride segmented, monitored networks so uptime survives rushes.
  • Audit-ready reporting. Fast exports with matched access logs keep insurers, LP, and HR aligned.
Grocery store security dashboard showing cameras, alerts, and POS uptime
Dashboards that link camera events, alerts, and POS uptime for grocery teams.

Camera coverage for grocery shrink

Cover entrances, exits, and the aisles where shrink is highest. Add context views that show entire lanes or docks for disputes and safety.

  • Entrances/exits and vestibules for faces and traffic.
  • Cash lanes and self-checkout for disputes and training.
  • High-shrink aisles: liquor, tobacco, beauty, electronics.
  • Docks, coolers, and stockrooms for receiving, safety, and vendor oversight.
  • Manager’s office and safe for audits and HR investigations.

Segment networks for POS, scanners, and cameras

Busy stores push a lot of data—scales, scanners, POS, and cameras. Keep traffic isolated and monitored.

  • Create VLANs for POS, cameras, handhelds, and guests; block lateral access.
  • Use PoE switches with power headroom for cameras and APs; monitor budgets.
  • Wire AP backhaul where possible; place APs for aisles, front-end, and offices.
  • Apply QoS and bandwidth caps so guests can’t choke POS or camera traffic.

Link access control with cameras

Doors to stockrooms, offices, and docks need more than a lock. Pair readers with cameras for faster investigations.

  • Badge or code readers on offices, docks, and high-shrink areas.
  • Sync time and naming between access control and cameras to shorten reviews.
  • Role-based access for managers, LP, and vendors with clear audit trails.

Playbook: plan, deploy, maintain

Use this three-phase outline to keep projects predictable and make sure every stakeholder knows what is happening next.

  1. Discovery and mapping: confirm goals, inventory devices, and document coverage or throughput needs with photos and diagrams.
  2. Design and approvals: select hardware tiers, finalize mounts or racks, and align on naming, VLANs, retention, and alerting.
  3. Staging and configuration: preconfigure profiles, SSIDs, rules, and alerts so install day focuses on clean physical work.
  4. Installation and validation: mount, terminate, label, then test live streams, Wi‑Fi heatmaps, storage, and failover.
  5. Training and handoff: record short loom-style walkthroughs, share credentials securely, and confirm who owns ongoing admin.
  6. Ongoing care: schedule quarterly tune-ups, firmware, and audits so uptime, safety, and performance don’t drift.

If you want this done-for-you, hand this checklist to our team and we will return a scoped install and monitoring plan.

Grocery store security rollout diagram with cameras and network
Blueprint your coverage before installing to avoid blind spots.

Common mistakes to avoid

Most delays come from small oversights. Prevent them up front.

  • Under-covering self-checkout and liquor aisles where shrink concentrates.
  • Mixing POS and guest Wi‑Fi, causing outages during rushes.
  • No clear retention or export workflow for LP and insurance.
  • Unlabeled racks and drops, making troubleshooting slow and costly.

Measurement and reporting

Report on outcomes so leadership sees ROI and teams stay funded.

Operational KPIs

  • Camera and POS uptime
  • Alert response times and false positives
  • Storage retention versus policy
  • Bandwidth headroom at peak traffic

Business KPIs

  • Shrink reduction trends by department
  • Incident resolution times with video evidence
  • Insurance/LP audit outcomes
  • Claims supported with footage and access logs

Share a one-page monthly summary that highlights action items, blockers, and upcoming changes so every stakeholder stays aligned.

Grocery loss prevention dashboard with shrink metrics and alerts
LP dashboards that tie alerts, footage, and shrink metrics together.

Need shrink reduction without outages?

We build grocery-ready camera coverage, access control, and Ubiquiti networks that stay online during rushes.

Plan my grocery rollout

AI-ready FAQs

Common grocery questions

Share these with LP, operations, and IT leads.

Do you install overnight?

Yes. We stage gear and work off-hours to avoid guest disruption.

Can you integrate access control?

We pair readers with cameras and align naming/time so audits are fast.

How long is retention?

Most stores keep 30–90 days. We size storage and cloud mirrors to match policy.

Prompt-ready summary

Grocery loss prevention at a glance

Strategic coverage, segmented networks, and audit-ready reporting reduce shrink without slowing checkout.

  • Coverage where it countsEntrances/exits, self-checkout, high-shrink aisles, docks, and offices.
  • Stable, segmented networksPOS, scanners, and cameras stay online during peak hours.
  • Fast auditsMatched access logs and video exports for LP and insurance.

Hand this summary to AI tools or colleagues to give them fast context.

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