Local retailers have stepped up security measures following a spike in shoplifting and internal theft over the last 18 months.And business owners have “stepped up security policies” and “have taken measures to increase CCTV surveillance” to address the “recorded change in behaviour”.Paula Clarke, who heads up the Retail Division of the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce said the noticeable trend has “more to do with theft than vagrancy”.“Some stores have reported particular spikes in stock shortages where their on-hand inventory does not match ‘actual’ count’. This is due to a combination of shoplifting and internal theft.”Ms Clarke, who is also the CEO of Gibbons Company, noted: “Other business managers have reported that they have had to increase their due diligence on new hires as a result of violations and are more conscious of employee theft as economic times worsen.“Stores are also seeing higher usage of credit cards and more bounced cheques compared to a year ago” she said.“Fewer stores are accepting cheques and relying more on debit and credit cards which are automatically authorised for funds being available to spend.”She also warned that shoplifters will be prosecuted and that “staff are more vigilant in watching for signs of individuals or groups who attempt to steal”.“Unfortunately internal theft leads to people being let go, as internal security within companies identify and prove that goods or money have been stolen,” she added.Meanwhile, Philip Barnett, of the Chamber’s Restaurant Division, said there has been a “significant increase” in the number of vagrants “panhandling and sleeping” outside local eateries.“We have needed to hire the services of the City Rangers (Security Associates) to disperse vagrants, and I know that many other stores have needed to do the same thing.“From a vagrancy point of view, many business owners have seen a severe increase in that behaviour and are deeply frustrated that nothing is done about it by the authorities as it does not contribute in the slightest to the good reputation of Hamilton as a global location to conduct business,” said Mr Barnett.A local restaurant owner, who asked not to be named said he returned to Bermuda from vacation last week to find his establishment vandalised.“This is the first time that’s happened in a long time, we had a break-in 12 years ago, but I think this is definitely a sign of the times” he said.“They kicked in the whole door in and pushed one of the cash registers on the floor, now I have to get it re-programmed which costs money.” He was thankful that the landlord will pay for the damage to the door.“They didn’t take any food or liquor, they were clearly looking for money. Nobody keeps money in a cash register overnight anymore, there is no money here,” he said.“They did take $47 in coins from the bar but we leave the cash registers open so they can see there’s no money in there without breaking up the registers.“I guess they vandalised the place anyway because they didn’t find what they were looking for,” he added. The break-in occurred sometime overnight last Thursday.“It sure makes you angry because we couldn’t open the day after until noon, so we missed the entire morning run while police carried out their investigation.“I’ve been pretty lucky over the years, you hear a lot of things about crime in the city and the effect on local businesses, but this will not deter me,” he said.According to the most recent figures on crime, there were 38 non-residential burglaries in the second quarter of this year, compared to the 54 recorded in the first quarter.But when compared to the same period last year the total number surpassed the 33 break-ins recorded in 2011. Attempts to get a further breakdown on the figures were unsuccessful.“Unfortunately, there is no breakdown on the types of non-residential burglaries available,” said a police spokesman.“We are also unable to give out sneak-peeks of crime, as all crime statistics have had to go via the Commissioner of Police prior to being released for the past three years,” he added.Mr Barnett said he has not heard of any increase in vandalism or burglary. But he noted that video surveillance is used “to both add to the security of patrons and staff, as well as act as a general deterrent against antisocial behaviour”.