The Co-op store located within the bustling Leeds University Union faces unique security challenges. Because the union building is entirely open to the general public, anyone can walk straight off the street and into the shop. This open-access environment, combined with massive daily student footfall, had unfortunately made the store a prime target for repeat shoplifting offenders. The resulting stock shrinkage was significantly affecting store performance and placing a heavy burden on retail staff. Even with a full-time security guard stationed at the main entrance, the sheer volume of customers during peak hours meant that human surveillance alone was no longer enough. The management team at the Co-op required a robust, high-definition commercial CCTV installation that could act as an active deterrent and provide total visual coverage of the premises.

Following a comprehensive on-site security survey by our expert team, a tailored system design was approved. To minimise disruption to daily trading and ensure the safety of students and staff, our CCTV engineers scheduled the installation work to take place during the summer holiday period. With the university campus exceptionally quiet, our engineers were able to work efficiently throughout the store, systematically routing high-grade data cabling and upgrading the existing, outdated CCTV cameras. This strategic timing allowed us to complete the complex commercial security system overhaul seamlessly, ensuring the new network was fully operational and thoroughly tested well before the busy autumn term commenced.

To ensure complete asset protection across the entire shop floor, Zone CCTV upgraded the store’s infrastructure to include 16 high-performance Hikvision 4-megapixel wide-angle turret cameras. The previous system left several vulnerable areas unmonitored, which sophisticated shoplifters frequently exploited. By strategically positioning these new 4MP turret cameras along the aisles, stock entry points, and high-risk alcohol and confectionery displays, our installers completely eliminated all existing blindspots. These professional-grade cameras deliver crystal-clear image quality and exceptional low-light performance, providing the store management team with undeniable, court-admissible photographic evidence if an incident occurs.

One of the most innovative elements of this commercial CCTV installation is the point-of-view entrance camera system. Positioned directly at the main threshold, we installed a specialist camera linked to a large, highly visible public view monitor. This camera features advanced, built-in artificial intelligence (AI) boundary and facial detection. As a person walks into the Co-op, the AI instantly identifies their presence in real time and highlights their face on the screen. This serves as an incredibly powerful psychological deterrent; incoming shoppers naturally look up at the monitor, see themselves clearly captured, and are immediately put on notice that a live, high-tech surveillance system is actively recording their movements before they even step onto the shop floor.

This video shows the shop entrance camera in action at another retail location, demonstrating how clearly it captures people entering and leaving the premises.

The self-checkout boundary is traditionally a high-risk zone for retail theft and transaction errors. To secure this critical area, our CCTV engineers installed a flagship Hikvision 12-megapixel fisheye camera directly above the self-service tills. This single, ultra-high-definition camera provides a complete, uninterrupted 360-degree overview of the entire checkout zone, replacing the need for multiple standard cameras. The 12MP resolution ensures that even when digital zooming is applied during playback, the image remains incredibly sharp. Furthermore, this system is fully integrated with HikCentral Mobile, allowing authorised store managers to monitor the tills securely and review footage directly from their mobile devices from any location.

To maximise response speeds, we connected all the new cameras via HikCentral directly to the university’s central security station. This integration transmits real-time high-definition feeds straight to their large video wall, allowing security personnel to monitor the Co-op floor live and deploy campus officers immediately if known offenders enter. The upgraded architecture also enables staff to quickly review historical footage, clip incident timelines and export video files to the West Yorkshire Police, drastically accelerating retail crime investigations.

The Co-op management team are delighted with the CCTV upgrade. The new 4MP cameras, 360-degree self-checkout coverage and visible AI entrance deterrent have improved staff confidence and helped reduce shoplifting incidents. Zone CCTV continues to provide effective commercial security solutions that protect staff, property and profits.