Don't allow loitering. Loitering simply means people hanging around your place of business, inside or outside, without buying anything. Loitering is a serious problem, if left unchecked, it can:

• Discourage customers from coming to your place of business.
• Lead to harassment and other problems.
• Create a bad image for your business.

Take action against loitering. Remember the following:

• You may need to take action when you first observe a potential problem develop, don't wait until a group gets larger or violence occurs.
• Be sure you have a good view of the parking lot, and keep it clean.
• See that "no loitering" and "parking restriction" signs are posted.
• Politely speak to the person loitering, but never leave your business unattended to go outside.
• Never place yourself in an unsafe situation. Call the police, if the person continues loitering.