Quick answer: Smoke and vape shops carry small, expensive, easy-to-resell stock — disposable vapes, devices, glass, cigars — usually in display cases near one counter and one clerk. Remote video monitoring puts an operator on your existing cameras during the hours you choose to watch the cases and counter, check opening and closing routines, and alert you to theft, break-in attempts or problems with staff. Digital EYE's standard plan is $600/month for 8 hours a day, 7 days a week, up to 4 cameras.
Why smoke and vape shops are targeted
- High value in a small space. A tray of devices or a few boxes of disposables is worth a lot and fits in a bag.
- Easy resale. Many of these products are easy to sell on quickly, which makes them attractive to organized groups. Our organized retail crime guide explains the patterns.
- Display cases that are opened many times a day — and sometimes left open.
- After-hours break-ins through the front glass or back door, aimed at the cases.
- Single-clerk shifts, so internal theft (product or cash) can go unnoticed. See employee theft in retail.
- Age-restricted sales, with pressure to skip ID checks.
What our operators watch
| Situation | What the operator looks for |
|---|---|
| Case access | Cases opened and closed properly, more than one item handed out at once, cases left unlocked |
| Customer behavior | Distraction teams (one person talks, another reaches), people hanging around the case without buying |
| Counter | ID routine followed where required, voids/refunds with no customer, drawer counts |
| Opening and closing | On-time opening, stock in cases rather than on the counter, doors locked before counting |
| After hours | People testing the door, cars waiting outside, movement inside a closed store |
| Back of store | Deliveries checked in, back door closed |
When something matches your escalation rules, we alert your contacts with the time, camera and a clip. You decide what happens next, including whether to call the police. Digital EYE provides operations and loss-prevention monitoring, not guard services.
Camera placement that actually helps
- One camera looking down the line of display cases, so a hand going into a case is visible.
- Register, overhead.
- Entrance, facing in for faces and times.
- Back door or stockroom.
- Outside the front door, if break-ins have happened, so we see someone approach before the glass breaks.
On a 4-camera plan, most shops choose the cases, register, entrance and back door during open hours, and add the outside view for overnight coverage.
Practical changes that reduce losses
Monitoring works best when the basics are in place:
- Keep high-value devices in locked cases, with keys on the clerk, not in the lock.
- Show one item at a time and put it back before showing the next.
- Move the most expensive stock to a safe or back room overnight if break-ins are a risk.
- Keep the counter view clear from the street.
- Do drawer counts at shift change on camera.
How the attendance and incident software helps
Digital EYE's workforce software verifies clock-ins on camera, flags no-shows, turns verified hours into payroll and keeps incident reports with clips in one place — useful for police reports or insurance claims. It is free for 6 months, then $50/month.
Choosing your hours
- Open hours, if shoplifting and internal theft are the main problem.
- Closing through early morning, if break-ins are.
- A split, such as the last 3 hours open plus 5 hours overnight.
Longer hours or more cameras are quoted, because they need more operator time. See pricing.
Sample escalation rules
Every client agrees escalation rules in writing before monitoring starts. A typical starting set:
| Event | Who is alerted | How |
|---|---|---|
| Display case left unlocked | Clerk on duty via manager | Message |
| Suspected theft at the cases | Manager | Call with description |
| Door tested or glass broken after hours | Owner, then second contact | Call immediately |
| Store not opened on time | Manager | Call |
| Cash counted with door unlocked | Manager | Message with clip |
You can change who is alerted, and in what order, at any time.
Frequently asked questions
Can remote monitoring prevent break-ins?
It can't physically stop one, but an operator watching the front and back can alert you as soon as someone tests the door or breaks glass, with the time and a clip, so you can act quickly.
Can you watch the display cases closely enough to see theft?
Yes, if a camera looks down the line of cases. We review screenshots before starting and tell you if a camera needs moving.
Do you work with my current camera system?
Usually yes. We connect to your DVR or NVR with a view-only account.
Do you check age verification?
We can check whether your ID routine was followed where the camera angle shows it. We cannot verify the ID itself.