Case Study – Amethyst Distribution Group

Logistics and Distribution Facilities & Environments

Amethyst distribution group have a number of centres throughout the country managing a variety of products which are of high and low value. Senator Security had been employed as key holders for the centre at Fradley Park from 2005 up to 2007 when the centre was carrying low value goods and employing mainly agency staff.

In November 2007 the Manager of the centre contacted Senator Security for advice on the setting up and implementation of a search policy. His approach to Senator had been prompted by the fact that Amethyst had won the contract for New Look’s on line distribution, which meant they were now holding a wide range of high percieved value garments and accessory items – this is clearly a sentitive matter and had to introduced with due care… It was also apparent that they did not have the budget to employ a full time security officer.

After some discussion, Senator Security developed a service which consisted of deploying visiting search teams both at the shift changes and any random time within a shift. Because the staff were made up of 75% female, the visiting search team consisted of both male and female officers. This proved a successful solution and has become a benchmark for similar scenarios with other Senator clients.

Following the liquidation of Woolworths, Amethyst Fradley and Amethyst Burton received all the HMV stockgoods returned from the stores. Due to the turbulence caused by such a major retail collapse the paperwork was incomplete and a lot of the goods where unaccountable – making them potentially attractive to the dishonest. The Burton centre requested the same visiting search team service from Senator as used at Fradley, which was duly supplied. Burton took the majority of the HMV returns and at its height Senator Security supplied a static officer to implement the search policy with the staff and maintain and area search program devised for the Client by Senator. During the period November 2007 to December 2008, the visiting search teams and the temporary officer at the Burton site found three (3) members of staff with stolen items in their possession and a number of items separately ‘stashed’ in preparation to move at a later time.

After the HMV issue was resolved, the search service at Burton ceased, however, in November 2008 the Fradley site invested in a static security officer for the Christmas build up and the January return period. Senator Security advised the Customer to train the officers in all of the distribution facilities to help them spot anomalies that could indicate theft or any attempted theft. This was done and resulted in a further member of staff being identified. The static service was due to end at the end of January 2009; however, New Look have confirmed a larger contract and have requested that the security officer remains on site in the long term. In the last three months the officers have caught a further member of staff with stolen items and have successfully resolved a drug problem within the work force by observing staff off site during their breaks and taking the appropriate action.

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