Lodge Security acquires store detective business Advantage One Security

Retail crime has evolved. Opportunistic theft has given way to repeat offending, organised retail crime and increased levels of aggression towards front line teams. As a result, retailers are demanding more than simply a visible presence. They need specialist capabilities that deliver real-world outcomes.

Advantage One Security brings exactly that. Known for its highly trained plain-clothes store detectives, the business specialises in loss prevention, detection, evidence gathering and offender outcomes, all supported by its Category 1 Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC). Its teams work discreetly on the shop floor, influencing offender behaviour, building intelligence and producing prosecution-ready evidence.

By bringing Advantage One Security into the Lodge Security Group, Lodge Security enhances its ability to deliver a fully integrated retail crime strategy. This combines overt security guarding, covert store detective operations, the 24/7 crime hub, intelligence-led reporting and data-driven insight under one provider, thereby affording clients a clearer line of sight from incident to impact.

Deliberate investment

“This is a deliberate investment in specialist capability,” affirmed Darren Conway, Group managing director at Lodge Security. “Retail crime today requires specialists, not generalists. Store detectives play a critical role in disrupting repeat offending, supporting prosecutions and protecting colleagues. Advantage One Security strengthens our ability to deliver that expertise at scale as part of a joined-up retail security model.”

The acquisition also strengthens Lodge Security’s monitoring and incident management infrastructure. Many will know that, for over 40 years, Lodge Security has operated a cost-efficient UK specification Control Room in Johannesburg, South Africa, which is now working in tandem with Advantage One Security’s ARC in Redditch. This dual-location model enables retailers to have a dedicated crime hub for their business, operated 24/7, delivering comprehensive intruder alarm monitoring, CCTV surveillance and incident management that meets all UK regulatory requirements.

Clients benefit from enhanced Return on Investment through South African operational rates combined with UK-based service standards, allowing retailers to invest more in front line capability without compromising on response quality or compliance.

Expertise and approach

Advantage One Security will continue to operate as a specialist store detective unit within Lodge Security, retaining the expertise, people and approach that have made the business a trusted partner for retailers, while benefiting from Lodge Security’s wider intelligence, technology and operational infrastructure.

For Lodge Security, the acquisition reinforces its position as a problem-solving security partner rather than a traditional security guarding provider. It reflects a continued focus on solutions that reduce loss, protect people and stand up to scrutiny at Board level.

“Good security doesn’t just stand there,” concluded Darren Conway. “It understands behaviour, patterns and risk. This acquisition strengthens our ability to turn retail crime incidents into insight and insight into action.”