Video surveillance systems provide adequate security for many types of businesses but for retail stores, restaurants and grocery stores where cash registers or computer-based POS systems are used, video surveillance alone may not be enough. The reason for this is that cash register and POS devices introduce another element of possible theft or fraud that may not be easy to identify on a video recording.

Some of the most common ways a cash register/POS system can be used for theft or fraud are:

• Short Rings: Goods are charged out (to an accomplice) at a much lower price than the correct one.
• Sweetheart Deals: Similar to Short Rings but far lower quantities than actual, of one or more types of products are rung in.
• Substitute Scanning: Scanning a tag of much lower value than the actual goods being sold.
• Short Changing: Providing less change than is correct.
• Voids: Voiding a sale after the customer has left.
• Returns/Refunds: Refunding cash on a non-existent return.
• Cancels: A transaction is partially rung in and if the customer does not ask for a receipt, is cancelled after the customer has left.
• No Sale: the most common misuse of a cash register/POS system. A dishonest sales clerk using some of the methods above must remove the accumulated cash from the cash drawer before shift end. The most common way is to ring in a “No Sale” just before shift end and remove all the extra cash at one time. “No Sales” can also be used simply to take cash out of the till, without other forms of fraud being used.

One method of identifying these types of theft and fraud is called POS Text Insertion and is used in conjunction with a video surveillance system. This method involves writing the transaction data from the cash register/POS system to the video produced by the security camera watching that POS device.

POS Text Inserters are a hardware/software solution. A cable feed from the POS printer is connected to a port on the text insertion box and a coaxial input from the relevant security camera is also connected into the Text Inserter box. The text from the transaction printer is written onto the video from the security camera by the text insertion box and the video plus text is connected by coax cable into a video input port of the DVR system. Playback of the recorded video from that camera will show both the video and the associated transaction data.

Software is supplied with the text insertion equipment, so that a searchable database of transactions is created. This software will allow “exceptions” (to normal transactions) to be defined. “Exceptions” are any suspicious transaction and would normally include the type of transactions outlined above plus transactions of a dollar value below the normal limits for that business. By searching the transaction database for “exceptions” each suspicious transaction can then be examined, along with the accompanying video.

For retail stores, restaurants and bars, the addition of a POS Text Insertion System to a Digital Video Surveillance System will provide detection and prevention of most types of cash register theft and fraud. In many instances, the POS Text Insertion equipment will pay for itself in just a couple a months.

AVE VSI+ and VSI Pro Text Inserter

American Video Equipment's (AVE) Video Serial Interface products (VSI+ and VSI Pro) allow transaction data from cash registers, POS systems or a bank's automatic teller machine to be written and displayed on top of the normal video picture. The AVE VSI+ and VSI PRO text inserters will work with any Sentry DVR.

Cash register interface applications are an excellent method for controlling theft and fraud in retail stores and are gaining widespread use in the security industry. With ATM theft and fraud being such a predominant concern in our society, there is also a tremendous need for a powerful ATM/CCTV system in the banking industry.

The VSI+/PRO products work the same for both bank and retail applications. Once a transaction is started, data is generated and sent to the VSI+/PRO from either the cash register or the ATM. The VSI+/PRO overlays this data on top of the normal camera picture. This provides two benefits; first, the VSI+/PRO links the data with the picture so that on the monitor screen you will see not only the cashier and the product being sold, but also the price charged by the clerk for that product. This allows visual comparison of the physical items being purchased and the actual register data of the transaction overlaid on the video picture so the legitimacy of the check out can be easily reviewed. Second, through the VSI+/PRO Exception Report, suspicious transactions can be defined and searched for in the recording data bases. Video and transaction data from just these particular transactions can then be examined.

Perhaps the most significant benefit of the VSI+/PRO is its ability to trigger DVR recording so that only relevant event information is captured on video. This is accomplished by defining suspicious transactions in the Exception Report and then using an “Alarm Out” connection of the VSI+/VSI Pro feeding into an “Alarm In” connection on the DVR. Every time a suspicious transaction is processed through the cash register/POS system, the transaction data is written to video by the VSI+/PRO and the DVR is switched to record that camera.

Installation: The VSI+/PRO is typically installed close to the security camera that is focused on the cash register/POS system. Two separate cables, one for communication from the cash register and one for the security camera connect these devices into the VSI+/Pro. A single output BNC cable connects the VSI+/Pro to the DVR. In some cases, an additional module, or interface, is installed in or near the register for data conversion. This completes all the required wiring for a fully operational system. When the system is powered up, you can begin programming the VSI+/Pro. Like all other AVE products, the VSI+/Pro uses a simple and easy to understand programming menu.

How The Cash Register Interfacing Works: AVE has devoted tremendous engineering efforts to ensure that its VSI+/PRO products work with virtually all types of cash register systems. To find out if a specific cash register system is supported, please check the appropriate page in the Sentry Dealer Section or call a Sentry Sales Representative at 866-736-8796 or email sales@cctvsentry.com.

The cash register business is a unique industry. No standards exist and cash register companies can go out of their way to make hardware dissimilar from company to company and to some extent, within a company's own range of products, making older versions or accessories incompatible with newer models.

It is this fundamental fact that can make cash register interfacing a complicated process. One interface box can only connect to a limited number of registers. Converter boxes are sometimes needed to translate from one format to another. Please see the appropriate page in the Sentry Dealer Section to check on available converter boxes. Every model register has unique features that can enhance the interface or cause major problems when dealing with loss prevention.

Basic Register Interface System

1. Video out from the camera goes to video in on the VSI+/VSI Pro. This camera typically watches the general area around the cash register/POS station, including the register, counter, employee and customer. 2. Most low-end registers require the installation of an RS-232 board from AVE or the register vendor. Some registers utilize an RS-232 printer tap, while others with no RS-232 ability must be fitted with an additional interface module which converts the printer data to RS-232 for the VSI+/VSI Pro. 3. Video out from the VSI+ goes into the DVR 4. Video is displayed on the DVR monitor. 5. The EX option provides 2 hard alarm outputs to trigger alarming DVRs for Exception Reporting and Recording.

GV Data Capture

In retail businesses, Point-of-Sale (POS) is an area that is often a considerable source of losses. Employees quickly become familiar with cash handling procedures and find ways to circumvent safeguards. Common problems are excessive discounts known as "sweet heart deals", refunds in which product is not actually returned, and "No Sale" transactions for legitimate sales. These types of problems can be difficult to catch using video alone.

The GV-Data Capture Box is specifically designed for these situations. In conjunction with a Sentry V Series DVR, the GV-Data Capture Box can record and display transaction data from your POS System. The data from each transaction is directly overlaid onto the video and a searchable database is created allowing you to pinpoint video with abnormal transactions. The GV-Data Capture box is an excellent add-on to any V Series video security system.

Model: GV-Data Capture Box V3/GV-Data Capture V3E *The GV-Data Capture V3E is an Ethernet version of the V3 allowing the integration of POS systems and V Series DVRs via LAN, WAN or Internet.

All accessories are warranted for 1 year for parts and labor and 1 years' toll free telephone support is provided.

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