/ Retail Loss Prevention
What it is. What it is not.
Retail shrink in Ontario is at a decade high. Organised retail crime (ORC) crews have industrialised what was once opportunistic theft, hitting big-box, drugstore, cosmetics, apparel and grocery chains in coordinated waves. Ontario Security Services builds retail loss-prevention programs that combine plain-clothes floor coverage, uniformed door coverage, EAS system support and analytics reporting.
Every retail contract begins with a shrink audit. We identify the categories being lifted, the times and days of the week the losses occur, and the entry-exit patterns of repeat offenders. We then deploy the appropriate mix of uniformed and plain-clothes officers, trained in Ontario Trespass to Property Act enforcement and citizen's arrest protocols, with the discipline to escalate to police only where evidence supports it.
From flagship stores in Toronto's Eaton Centre and Yorkdale to power centres across the GTA, from grocery chains in London and Kingston to shopping malls in Ottawa and Hamilton, we help retailers cut shrink without turning the shopping floor into a hostile environment.
/ Operational scope
What we deliver.
- Plain-clothes floor coverage
- Trespass Act & citizen's arrest protocol
- ORC / organised retail crime coordination
- EAS tag support & fitting-room audits
- Shrink analytics reporting
- Uniformed door / greeter option
- Police liaison and evidence packaging
- Back-of-house employee-theft investigations
/ Industries we serve
Where retail loss prevention is deployed.
Big-box retail
Drugstore & pharmacy chains
Cosmetics & beauty retail
Apparel & fashion
Grocery & convenience
Electronics retail
Cannabis retail (OCS-licensed stores)
Shopping mall operators
/ Deployment process
Five steps, on every site.
01
Shrink audit
We analyse the store's shrink report and identify categories, times and offender patterns.
02
Deployment mix
Uniformed + plain-clothes ratio is set based on shrink pattern and merchandising layout.
03
Officer training
Officers train on your fitting-room policy, EAS system, apprehension procedure and camera coverage.
04
Live coverage
Officers work the floor. Repeat offenders are identified; evidence is preserved; police are called only when supported by evidence.
05
Monthly review
Shrink numbers, apprehensions and near-misses are reviewed with your loss-prevention manager monthly.
/ What sets us apart
Retail Loss Prevention the way it should be.
- 01Shrink-audit-driven deployment, not headcount-driven
- 02Ontario Trespass Act and citizen's arrest protocol trained
- 03ORC intelligence sharing with peer retailers
- 04Non-hostile floor presence — retail sales are protected
- 05Back-of-house employee investigations discreetly delivered
/ Compliance & training
The paperwork insurers ask about.
- PSISA-licensed
- Trained in Ontario Trespass to Property Act enforcement
- Citizen's arrest protocol trained and audited
- Use-of-force annually recertified
- $5M liability with retail rider
/ FAQ · Retail Loss Prevention
Questions clients keep asking.
- Q · 01
Do you handle organised retail crime crews?
Yes. We share ORC intelligence with peer retailers under strict privacy controls and coordinate with local police detachments (Toronto Police, Peel, York, Halton, OPP) as evidence supports.
- Q · 02
Can you cover cannabis retail?
Yes. OCS-licensed cannabis retailers across Ontario receive dedicated door coverage with age verification and back-of-house cash-handling protocols.
- Q · 03
Do you offer both plain-clothes and uniformed officers?
Yes. The mix is set by the shrink audit; most stores benefit from at least one plain-clothes floor officer with a uniformed door presence.
- Q · 04
Do you handle employee theft investigations?
Yes. Discreetly, on a case-by-case basis, in coordination with HR and legal counsel.
- Q · 05
How do you avoid confrontation on the sales floor?
Our apprehension procedure calls for de-escalation and preservation of evidence; physical apprehension is a last resort and always outside the customer-visible zone where possible.
/ Related disciplines
Often paired with retail loss prevention.
/ Deployed in