How To Prevent Shoplifting in Your Smoke Shop: 7 Security Strategies

Smoke shops are prime targets for theft — shelves packed with high-demand products, lean staffing, and quick transactions make them appealing to opportunists. And the numbers don’t lie: More than 85% of small businesses are hit by retail theft each year, with average losses of around $1,700 per month.

These shops attract thieves because of the high demand for vape refills, delicate glassware, and low-cost, easy-to-grab accessories. That means improving security around high-risk items, spotting theft early, and giving your staff the tools to respond confidently and safely are key. 

Learn seven straightforward tactics to help prevent shoplifting in your smoke shop and protect your bottom line.

1. Organize the Store Layout for Visibility

Small items like vape cartridges, rolling papers, and lighters are quick to grab and pocket. Your smoke shop’s layout should be open and easy to monitor so that staff can see every section from behind the counter.

Follow these shop floor design tips to prevent theft:

• Place your checkout near the entrance or exit to track every customer entering or leaving.

• Use low shelving and install corner mirrors to eliminate blind spots behind racks or displays.

• Keep high-theft items like cartridges, blunt wraps, and scales in plain sight of the counter or cameras.

• Avoid tight aisles or crowded shelving that block visibility and give shoplifters cover.

In a shop where high-value products are small enough to fit inside a pocket, every blind spot is a risk. Clear lines of sight make it harder for shoplifters to steal and easier to intervene.

2. Invest in Video Surveillance

Visible camera systems actively deter nearly half of potential thieves before they act. And if someone does steal, the camera footage gives you what you need to identify them and take action. 

• Install cameras over entrances, registers, high-risk items like vape cases, glass displays, and behind the counter.
• Choose a system with remote access so you can check footage from your phone when you’re away from the store. Night vision is a plus, so you can still see activity in low light.
• Post clear signage at eye level to remind customers they’re being recorded; depending on the state where you operate, these signs may be required by law.  
• Review footage regularly to catch repeat behavior, suspicious routines, or staff blind spots that thieves may exploit.

Security measures aren’t a substitute for staying alert, but they help deter theft in real time and provide evidence for law enforcement when something goes wrong.

3. Lock Up High-Risk Products

Some items are simply too valuable and easy to resell to leave out in the open. Locking away high-value items is a critical step in preventing shoplifting in your smoke shop — and it shows customers you take security seriously.

Here’s how to secure high-risk products while still promoting sales:

• Use locked display cases for glassware, delta-8 cartridges, high-end vapes, and other big-ticket items.
• Limit access to staff only, especially for anything priced over $30 or known to go missing.
• Display empty boxes for premium products, keeping the actual inventory behind the counter.
• Use signs to let customers know what’s locked and available, so they’re aware they have to ask staff.

Locked cases help prevent theft, but they can also discourage sales if customers are left waiting for help too long. Keep them close to the checkout so staff can answer questions and retrieve products quickly.

4. Train Staff To Spot Suspicious Behavior

Employees can’t stop every incident — but most shoplifters aren’t professionals, and much of retail theft is opportunistic. Friendly customer service and attention from staff is often enough to make someone think twice. Even organized thieves are less likely to target a store where staff are present, alert, and paying attention.

To build theft awareness into everyday interactions:

• Watch for signs like oversized clothing or backpacks, nervous behavior, or customers working in pairs.
• Train employees to greet everyone on entry — it’s one of the simplest and most effective deterrents.
• Focus on awareness, not confrontation — the goal is to make customers feel seen, not accused.
• Use team huddles to share real-world examples and reinforce what to look for.

Consistent training builds staff confidence, so they know how to respond calmly and effectively when something feels off.

5. Use Anti-Theft Tags or Peg Hooks

If all your bestsellers are locked in cases, you’ll need constant staff availability — and that’s not always realistic or cost-effective. If a customer sees the vape cart they want boxed up and the only cashier is busy, they might take their business elsewhere.

There are other low-friction tools to prevent theft and keep your checkout moving: 

• Use locked peg hook systems for vape cartridges, coils, and batteries.
• Attach anti-theft tags to grab-and-go items like grinders or torch lighters.
• Limit shelf access to staff-only zones for anything that frequently disappears.

Anti-theft tags and peg hooks let you protect high-risk products without locking down your entire store, so you can reduce shrinkage and maintain strong sales. 

6. Limit Internal Theft and Shrinkage

Approximately 60% of inventory loss is due to employee theft, and three out of four employees admit to stealing from a past employer. Internal shrinkage is often overlooked when thinking about how to prevent shoplifting in your smoke shop, but it’s one of the biggest sources of lost inventory and revenue.

Here’s how to improve loss prevention from the inside:

• Restrict access to storage rooms and high-risk stock, even among staff.
• Use your point of sale (POS) system to track voids, no-sale transactions, discounts, and suspicious transaction trends.
• Set permissions so only managers can approve returns, compensation, or sensitive changes.
• Review shift activity reports and rotate staff responsibilities to reduce risk.

The more control you have over staff access and POS activity, the easier it is to identify problems early and protect your bottom line.

7. Build a Consistent Security Routine

Shoplifters look for weak spots in stores, like distracted staff, inconsistent routines, or inventory sitting on shelves for weeks. Set up security routines to close gaps and make theft harder to pull off. 

To tighten up your daily and weekly security routine, focus on these key habits:

• Use opening and closing checklists that include camera checks and high-risk inventory spot counts.
• Review surveillance footage regularly and compare it to voids, discounts, and no-sale transactions in your POS system.
• Rotate staff responsibilities so no one person controls the stock or registers all day, every day.
• Use POS reports to flag shrinkage trends or SKUs that are regularly short.
• Run regular cycle counts across all categories to keep stock records accurate and catch discrepancies.

Consistent checks help you catch missing stock, hold staff accountable, and stop small losses from becoming major problems.

How To Prevent Shoplifting in Your Smoke Shop — Start With Small, Consistent Steps

If you’re serious about preventing shoplifting in your smoke shop, start with simple routines and find the right tools to support them. 

Cigars POS gives you full visibility over your inventory. With an unlimited product database, you can track every item and variant and use in-depth analytics to spot trends, gaps, or suspicious activity.

You’ll also receive essential tools, like built-in age verification and high-risk payment processing, to support secure, responsible sales.

Get a free download of The Tobacco Point of Sale System Buyers’ Guide today to learn what to look for — and how to choose a system that protects your most valuable products.