Make advanced and affordable loss prevention a priority

IN TOTAL, businesses are reckoned to lose about £200 million of manufactured products and purchased inventory per year to employee theft. Any item can be the target, such as cosmetics, or designer goods, raw materials, high-value engineering components like processor ICs, office consumables purchased for use within the company, or valuable data copied onto media such as memory cards or pen drives and taken off the company premises. 

Smuggling of media devices can be a particular hazard in enterprises such as data centres and financial institutions. Some of the more extreme cases include the theft of waste precious metals, such as gold parts or material taken from processes such as jewellery manufacturing. Detection can be very difficult, and thefts may accumulate for years before any discrepancies come to light.

Handling thefts like these is a delicate matter. Investigation is necessary both financially and to preserve the goodwill of honest workers. Companies must ensure any communication is carefully worded and only use techniques such as surveillance and searches in accordance with the law.

Prevention is better than cure. By detecting stolen items before they are removed from the premises, companies can improve both their stock loss figures and team morale. Simply knowing that effective measures are in place can be enough to deter many would-be thieves. Several techniques have been used over the years, to help tackle the issue, but most still expose significant drawbacks. 

Detection Techniques

Metal detectors, installed at strategic locations such as exits, can be highly visible and thus act as a deterrent. However, their effectiveness is limited and the systems – of course – are unable to detect non-metallic items. The detector can be a large walk-through system or a handheld wand for manual screening. If wands are to be used, extra staff may need to be engaged and trained to perform security checks.

Surveillance cameras can offer an alternative, although images must be monitored continuously and there are complex legal conditions. Covert filming of employees is not permitted and the reasons for filming must be made clear as it’s unlawful to use CCTV footage for purposes other than those explained. The effects on honest employees must also be considered.

Employing security staff to inspect baggage and perform body searches, such as pat-downs, is generally undesirable; not to mention unlikely to detect extremely small or well-hidden objects.

Other security scanning techniques include X-ray equipment. Although widely used to scan baggage at locations such as airports, this is not acceptable for routine people screening and proper measures would be needed to protect security staff against excessive exposure to X-rays.

People screening with millimetre wave equipment has been shown to be effective in situations such as airport security checking. The low energy waves can detect all objects including non-metallic materials hidden beneath clothing. Scanning is non-invasive and protects privacy – no body images are collected or seen. Pose-and-go scanning is fast and easy, allowing rapid throughput, and the waves are non-ionizing and therefore harmless to organic tissue. 

Millimetre-wave scanners can be used to detect all sorts of small items that are otherwise easily hidden. Businesses can now expect a faster return after investing in millimetre-wave equipment, particularly when protecting high-value items, as the technology has matured, and various differentiated systems have arrived in the market. The R&S QPS201 (Quick Personnel Security) and more recently developed R&S QPS Walk2000 scanners from Rohde & Schwarz provide an example.

These systems comprise a static transceiver array, embedded in a large panel, that is equipped with many individual emitters and receivers distributed across the surface area. The panel can be plain or any colour, or digitally printed, and the person to be scanned needs to stand in front for just a few seconds. The transceiver array performs the scan quickly and there are no moving parts. During the scan, the transceivers emit millimetre waves and collect the reflected signals. The received signals are then subjected to extensive conditioning and analysis using high-performance digital signal processors with embedded edge AI. 

Privacy Protected

Besides the highly effective, fast, and automated screening that systems like these now make possible, a further major advantage of millimetre-wave scanning is that no images of the person are captured or constructed as the result of a scan. All data exists only in the digital domain and are discarded as the scan result gets displayed. If the system detects an anomalous pattern in the captured waves, signal processing calculates its whereabouts and pinpoints the location on an avatar. Security staff can then perform a targeted manual check, guided by this illustration.  

By extensively automating the checking process, millimetre-wave equipment overcomes disadvantages typically associated with human-centric security scanning. The machine is unbiased, invulnerable to intimidation, and can maintain its work rate indefinitely without fatigue or loss of attention.

These types of security scanners are now routinely used for airport security checks, offering a combination of high throughput, high accuracy with a high detection rate and minimal false alarms, and tremendous ease of use. The systems have been a big hit with security staff, helping them work with impartiality while also helping them maintain consistent vigilance throughout their shifts. They have also been used at the entrances to public buildings and entertainment venues, and at exhibitions to protect people attending events.

Easy to Install and Use

Advanced millimetre-wave security scanners such as the R&S QPS series offer a safe and effective solution for stock loss prevention and can be installed in factories, warehouses and offices with no special services required. They are straightforward and easy to use after minimal technical training, enabling security staff to quickly become proficient and start getting great results. 

With these systems, companies including manufacturing businesses, distributors, wholesalers, and retailers can now significantly reduce expensive losses. 

Rohde & Schwarz managing director, Gary Mackay comments, “Employee theft is a significant issue that affects businesses across various industries. At Rohde & Schwarz, we recognize the importance of protecting our customers' assets and have developed advanced security technology to help tackle this problem. Our millimetre-wave scanners offer an affordable, effective and non-invasive solution for detecting stolen items before they leave the premises.

For more information, visit www.rohde-schwarz.com/uk/