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Protecting your people, profit and property
Your shop matters. Let us help you protect it.
Running an independent shop is hard enough without dealing with shoplifters, alarm call-outs, and staff safety worries on top. That's exactly what My Own Security Expert is here for.
We're a friendly team of LP professionals with 15+ years of frontline experience — including working with police commissioners on national shoplifting strategy. We give independent retailers the expert support that big chains take for granted.
300+
Shops supported this year
2,250+
Cases prosecuted on their behalf
£425k
Of theft identified & prosecuted
38+ yrs
Of prison sentences secured
Why we do this
Somebody Finally Showed Up
There's a particular kind of quiet that settles over a shop after a theft. The door closes behind them. You stand there for a moment. And then you carry on — because what else is there to do? You won't call anyone, because last time nothing happened. You won't chase it, because you've got a counter to run. You'll just absorb it, the way you've absorbed the last hundred.
That quiet is the sound of being on your own. And for the independent retailers of this country, it has gone on far too long.
We started My Own Security Expert because we'd spent fifteen years watching it happen. We watched the big chains build security teams and legal departments while the shop on the corner — the one that sponsors the local football team, that knows its customers by name, that is the high street — was left to fend for itself. Not because anyone decided independents didn't matter. But because no one ever decided they did.
So we decided.
In the last twelve months, we've stood alongside more than 300 independent shops. Not from a call centre. Not through a chatbot. In person, on the shop floor, in the moments that actually count. Here's what that looked like:
300+
Independent shops supported
2,250+
Theft & violence cases prosecuted
£425k
Of theft identified & prosecuted
38+ yrs
Of prison sentences secured
We don't share those numbers to impress anyone. We share them because behind every single one is a shop owner who was told nothing could be done — and discovered that wasn't true.
That's the whole idea. Not fear. Not pressure. Just the simple, almost radical proposition that an independent retailer should have exactly the same standard of protection as the supermarket across the road — and shouldn't have to be a giant to get it.
Because your shop matters. Your staff deserve to feel safe walking onto the floor. Your losses deserve to be recovered. And the next time that door closes behind someone who thought you were an easy mark, you deserve to know that this time, somebody is going to do something about it.
Somebody already is.
Protecting your people, profit and property.
👋Had an incident recently? You don't need to be a subscriber to get advice. Tell us what happened and we'll point you in the right direction — free, no obligation.
We know what you're going through — and we know how to help.
Independent retailers tell us the same things again and again. They're losing stock, their staff feel unsafe, police aren't coming, and nobody seems to care. We care. And we know exactly what to do about it.
"I know of members who fear for their lives inside the shops, and others making the decision to close up. The big supermarkets have expensive equipment — but there's no way most independent retailers can afford that."
Muntazir Dipoti, President — Federation of Independent Retailers
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Police response is inconsistent
Only 16.7% of reported shoplifting incidents lead to prosecution. We help you build cases that are harder to ignore — and pursue civil recovery when the criminal route stalls.
😟
Your staff feel unsafe
Over 2,000 retail workers face abuse or threats every single day. Good training gives your team confidence and clear guidance on what they can legally do.
🔔
Alarm call-outs are stressful
Nobody should drive to their own premises alone at night not knowing what they'll find. Our alarm response service means you don't have to.
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Losses feel impossible to recover
Civil recovery is a legal route to reclaim your losses — completely separate from criminal proceedings. Most retailers don't know about it. We handle it for you.
Six ways we help
Everything your shop needs.
Remote support every day. In person when it really matters. All grounded in 15 years of frontline LP experience and UK law.
🚨Standard & Premium
Crime Response
We attend in person, secure evidence, and detain offenders lawfully where needed.
Learn more →
🔔Premium
Alarm Response
Alarm gone off at night? We attend so you never face it alone.
Learn more →
🔍All Plans
Security Review
A professional store assessment with a clear, practical written action plan.
Learn more →
🎓Standard & Premium
Staff Training
In-store training so your team feels confident, safe and properly prepared.
Learn more →
⚖️All Plans
Prosecution Support
Criminal and civil — we build the case and follow it all the way through.
Learn more →
💬All Plans
Ongoing Advice
Daily LP support by WhatsApp and email. A real expert, always available.
Learn more →
"We'd been losing stock for months and accepting it as part of running a shop. Having someone who actually showed up, understood the situation, and helped us build a proper case made us feel supported in a way we never had before."
Independent off-licence owner, West Midlands
530K+
UK shoplifting offences 2024/25
£4.2B
Annual cost of retail crime
16.7%
Of crimes lead to prosecution
84%
Of closures are independents
Simple, honest pricing
Choose the level of support that suits you.
No contracts, no setup fees. Cancel with 30 days' notice. Start from £79/month.
Essential
Remote expert support, every day.
£79/month
Advice, CCTV guidance, civil recovery letters, incident reporting — all from an LP expert who knows your situation.
Most Popular
Standard
Remote support plus in-person response.
£149/month
Everything in Essential, plus we attend in person for serious incidents, detain offenders lawfully, and review your CCTV monthly.
Premium
Full LP partnership — in person & online.
£249/month
Unlimited support, alarm response, annual staff training, full security review, and priority 24-hour access.
Ready to have someone in your corner?
Your first assessment is always free. No obligation — just a friendly conversation with someone who genuinely wants to help.
A little about us
Built for the retailers the industry forgot.
My Own Security Expert exists because independent retailers have been left behind for too long — and that needed to change.
Our story
15 years on the frontline. Now fighting for the little guy.
My Own Security Expert was founded by a loss prevention professional with over 15 years of frontline experience — working at every level of retail security, up to and including direct collaboration with police commissioners on national shoplifting reduction strategies.
During that time, we managed millions of pounds of shoplifting cases annually, trained hundreds of retail staff, built prosecution files that have put repeat offenders before the courts, and worked with police at every level.
What we saw again and again was that independent retailers were always the most targeted and the least supported. The big chains had LP teams and corporate clout. The small shops had themselves.
My Own Security Expert exists to change that — making expert LP support available to any independent retailer for a monthly subscription that costs less than a single shoplifting incident.
🤝
Always on your side
We advocate for you the way a full-time LP team would — but without the cost. Your problems are our problems.
📍
We physically show up
Alarm call-out, crime scene, detained offender — we attend in person when it matters most.
⚖️
We see things through
We build cases, pursue offenders, and follow criminal and civil proceedings right to the end.
💬
Always reachable
WhatsApp, email, Google Form — a real expert every time. No call centres, no queues.
🔒
15+ years of real experience
Frontline LP at every level, including direct police commissioner liaison on national crime strategy.
"You are not dealing with this alone."
Every independent retailer who joins My Own Security Expert gets access to the same quality of loss prevention support that the biggest chains in the UK take for granted. That's the promise.
Simple, honest pricing
Choose the level of support that suits you.
No contracts, no setup fees. Cancel with 30 days' notice. All plans include the full subscriber document kit and immediate access to expert support.
Essential
Remote expert support for retailers who want a knowledgeable team behind them every day.
Need something specific without subscribing? Security reviews, staff training, one-off investigations, and civil recovery are all available as standalone services. Get in touch to discuss →
🇬🇧 All services grounded in UK law — Theft Act 1968 · PACE Act 1984 · UK GDPR · ICO CCTV Code · ACAS Code of Practice Operational LP guidance, not formal legal advice. In-person availability confirmed at sign-up.
Report an incident
Something just happened. Here's what to do.
Every incident you report to us is logged, analysed, and responded to. Even if you're not a subscriber — report it. We'll give you free initial guidance.
How to reach us
Three ways to report.
💬
WhatsApp — Subscribers
Fastest route for live incidents, urgent situations and alarm activations. Number provided on sign-up.
📋
Google Form — Open to All
Our structured form captures everything we need. Available 24/7. Every submission is logged and analysed. Access the form →
🚶
In-Person Response — Standard & Premium
For serious incidents, detained offenders, or alarm activations. Contact via WhatsApp for fastest deployment.
🔔 Active incident right now?
If there's any immediate risk to life, call 999 first. Then WhatsApp us. Standard and Premium subscribers can request in-person attendance. You don't have to deal with this alone.
Why it matters
Small incidents build big cases.
No incident is too small to report. Every theft, every threatening interaction, every suspicious behaviour you log contributes to a picture — and that picture is what builds prosecutable cases against repeat offenders.
47% of retail theft and 91% of abuse incidents go unreported because retailers feel it won't make a difference. When you report consistently through MOSE, it does.
What happens with your reports
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Every report is logged and timestamped to our system
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We analyse patterns across all your submissions
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Repeat offender profiles are built from consistent reporting
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Your data supports civil recovery and criminal prosecution files
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Premium subscribers receive a quarterly pattern briefing report
If we haven't answered your question here, just get in touch — we're happy to help.
Can you detain a shoplifter — and should my staff?
Yes — we can. As seasoned, professionally trained experts, we are able to lawfully detain an offender on your behalf under s.24A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, acting strictly within the law and always awaiting police arrival before any handover. But our strong advice is that you and your staff should never attempt to detain anyone yourselves. The risks are serious — physical harm, and the very real possibility of making an unlawful or false arrest, which could expose you to legal liability. Please leave it to us. Your job is to stay safe, observe, and report. Detaining offenders safely and lawfully is exactly what you have us for.
What if the police take a long time to arrive after a detention?
We stay with you. We document the detention fully, continue gathering evidence, and make sure everything is handled safely and lawfully throughout. We'll also pursue civil recovery regardless of how long police take — a slow response doesn't mean the incident goes nowhere.
How does the alarm response service work?
When your alarm activates, you call or WhatsApp your subscriber line and we attend your premises. We carry out a thorough security check, establish whether an intrusion has occurred, preserve any evidence, and liaise with police where needed. You receive a written report within 24 hours. We won't enter a premises where there's an active risk without police — your safety always comes first.
What's included in a security review?
A trained LP professional visits your store and carries out a structured assessment of your CCTV coverage, layout, blind spots, alarm system, access control and staff procedures. You receive a written report with findings rated by priority and a practical action plan — focused on improvements that are genuinely affordable and achievable.
How quickly can someone attend in person?
It depends on your location and the nature of the incident. For live situations — a detained offender or an active alarm — we treat it as urgent. For post-incident investigations, we aim to attend within 48 hours on Standard or 24 hours on Premium. We confirm coverage for your area when you sign up.
What is civil recovery and do I really not need a solicitor?
Civil recovery is a claim you make directly against an offender for your financial losses — completely separate from criminal proceedings. You don't need a police report or a conviction. For claims under £10,000, the Small Claims Court is accessible without a solicitor, and we guide you through every step. We only refer you to a solicitor if the case genuinely requires one.
I run my shop alone — is this service realistic for me?
This service was built with you specifically in mind. The sole trader managing everything alone, with no security budget and no idea who to call when something goes wrong — that's exactly who My Own Security Expert is for. You don't need a team to have expert backup. That's what we're here for.
What if I just want to try it without committing?
There's no contract and no setup fee. Every plan is month-to-month, and you can cancel with 30 days' notice at any time. You can also book a standalone service — a security review, a training session, or civil recovery support — with no subscription needed. And your first assessment is always free.
Still have a question? We're happy to help.
Get in touch
We'd love to hear from you.
Whether you're ready to sign up, want to ask a question, or just need some advice after a difficult day — please reach out. We respond to every message, and your first conversation is always free.
Email us
hello@myownsecurityexpert.com
Website
myownsecurityexpert.com
WhatsApp
Provided on sign-up — fastest for live incidents
Response times
Essential: within 72 hours Standard: within 48 hours Premium: within 24 hours priority
🔔 Had an incident today?
If there's any immediate risk to life, call 999 first. Then get in touch — Standard and Premium subscribers can request in-person attendance. All retailers can use our form for free initial guidance. You don't have to handle this alone.
My Own Security Expert provides operational loss prevention services and expert guidance. We are not a law firm. All in-person work is conducted strictly within UK law.
We read and respond to every message personally. No automated replies, no sales calls, no pressure.
