Manned guarding is no longer optional for high-value retail. It is a strategic necessity.

By Andy Fairbanks, Director – UK Protection Ltd

Having worked closely with luxury retailers across the United Kingdom for over a decade, I have seen firsthand how the threat landscape is evolving. The latest intelligence from SaferGems confirms what many of us operating at the frontline already know: while incident numbers fluctuate, the severity and value of attacks are increasing significantly.

 The Latest SaferGems Figures (2025–2026)

Following direct engagement with SaferGems, the recorded data shows:

During 2025:

• 22 reports of robbery
• 6 armed robberies
• 16 confirmed cases
• Approximately £516,000 worth of goods stolen

To date in 2026 (as of 06 March):

• 16 reports of robbery
• 9 armed robberies
• 8 confirmed cases
• Approximately £2.2 million worth of goods stolen

These figures are highly revealing.

While 2025 showed moderate levels of robbery, early 2026 demonstrates a dramatic escalation in loss value per incident. In just the first weeks of the year, confirmed losses already approach four times the entire confirmed robbery losses of 2025.

This suggests a clear shift:

Fewer incidents — but significantly higher-value, more aggressive targeting.

What This Means for Luxury Retailers

Luxury criminals are no longer acting opportunistically. They are:

• Conducting reconnaissance.
• Identifying high-value stock.
• Acting in coordinated teams.
• Using weapons to overwhelm resistance.
• Targeting stores perceived as under-protected.

The presence of 6 armed robberies already in 2026 is particularly concerning. Armed incidents carry not only financial loss but also:

• Serious staff trauma
• Long-term reputational damage
• Increased insurance premiums
• Operational downtime
• Civil liability exposure

For luxury brands, reputation is currency. One violent incident can undo years of brand equity.

The Financial Reality: Cost Per Incident Is Rising

The 2026 figures are especially striking:

• 16 confirmed cases
• £2.2 million stolen
• Average confirmed loss per incident: approximately £250,000

That level of exposure means that a single robbery can easily exceed the annual cost of professional guarding.

Security, therefore, must be viewed not as an overhead — but as a loss prevention investment strategy.

Why Technology Alone Is Insufficient

CCTV records events.
Alarms notify after activation.
AI systems analyse patterns.

But none of these physically intervene when a robbery takes place.

A trained, SIA-licensed security officer provides:

• Immediate deterrence.
• Real-time intervention.
• Situational awareness.
• Behavioural detection.
• Controlled response under pressure.
• Direct liaison with police.

Criminals calculate risk. A visible professional security presence fundamentally changes that calculation.

Protecting People, Not Just Product

The most overlooked element in these statistics is the human cost.

An armed robbery is not just a financial event — it is a traumatic experience for staff and customers. Luxury retailers owe a legal duty of care to their employees.

Professional manned guarding:

• Provides immediate physical reassurance.
• Reduces panic during incidents.
• Controls access points.
• Limits escalation.
• Enhances staff confidence.

In high-value environments, that reassurance is critical.

The Strategic Shift Luxury Retailers Must Make

The data suggests a clear pattern emerging in 2026:

• Organised targeting.
• Higher-value theft.
• Armed escalation.
• Greater financial exposure per incident.

Luxury retailers must therefore shift from reactive security models and ineffective budgeting to proactive deterrence frameworks.

An effective strategy now includes:

• Static front-of-house guarding.
• Behavioural detection training.
• Intelligence sharing with SaferGems.
• Store-specific risk assessments.
• Discreet but authoritative officer presentation aligned to brand identity.

Conclusion: The Risk Is Evolving — Security Must Evolve Faster

The early 2026 figures are a clear warning sign.

If £2.2 million can be stolen in just weeks across 16 confirmed incidents, it demonstrates that criminals are becoming more ambitious, more organised, and more willing to escalate and take risks.

Luxury retail is built on exclusivity, trust and experience.

That experience must be protected by more than cameras and policies — it requires presence.

As a security provider operating within this sector, my position is clear:

Manned guarding is no longer optional for high-value retail. It is a strategic necessity.