Shift reflects need to reduce investigation time, improve evidence quality, and manage security consistently across multiple locations. 

PITTSBURGH, June 25, 2026 – Retailers are increasingly moving away from traditional video systems that serve primarily as passive recording tools, to adopting proactive intelligence‑driven solutions that support investigation, scale, and modern operating models.  

The shift reflects growing demands to reduce investigation time, improve evidence quality, and manage security across large, distributed retail environments. 

Historically, retail video systems documented incidents after they occurred. As retail footprints expand and operations become more complex, many retailers find traditional systems are difficult to search, inconsistent across sites, and limited in their ability to support timely investigations. 

That trend is evident in large retail enterprises such as NAPA Auto Parts, which operates more than 2,300 stores and nearly 60 supply chain facilities nationwide.  

Like many national retailers, NAPA determined its legacy video systems were no longer aligned with modern loss prevention needs. 

According to NAPA’s Head of Asset Protection, previous systems required significant time to locate relevant footage and video quality often limited the usefulness of evidence during investigations. As the retailer scaled its operations, maintaining consistent investigative workflows across thousands of locations became increasingly challenging. 

Additionally, many NAPA locations rely on overnight freight delivery, requiring third‑party drivers to access stores after hours. That operating model places additional demands on security systems, which must support controlled access and effective monitoring without disrupting routine overnight activity. 

To address these challenges, Vector Security Networks implemented Visual Intelligence, a cloud‑managed, video‑first security approach designed to move retailers beyond passive video monitoring. The AI-powered platform emphasizes faster access to footage, clearer evidence, and investigative workflows built for enterprise‑scale environments. 

In NAPA’s deployment, Visual Intelligence enables investigators to locate relevant video footage in minutes rather than hours, reducing investigation time and supporting more efficient response efforts. The solution also allows video to be used alongside exception‑based reporting data, providing additional context around suspicious activity and contributing to improved incident resolution. 

“Traditional video systems were built to record what happened, but don’t necessarily support how loss prevention and investigations work today,” said Allan Watters, Director of Security Sales at Vector Security Networks. “As retail operations become more distributed, organizations are adopting intelligence‑driven platforms that make it easier to locate evidence, apply it consistently, and proactively respond to incidents.” 

Allan added that this approach reflects a broader shift in retail loss prevention toward systems designed for investigation and operational consistency rather than passive monitoring. 

About Vector Security Networks 

Vector Security Networks is a division of Vector Security, Inc., a top integrator of physical security solutions and managed services for North American retailers and multi-site businesses, including many Fortune 500 companies. Vector Security Networks serves nearly 90,000 national account sites across North America. Vector Security Networks has installed primary and secondary networks for some of the largest retailers and quick serve restaurants in the United States. 

About Vector Security, Inc. 

For more than 50 years, Vector Security, Inc. (www.vectorsecurity.com) has been a premier provider of intelligent security solutions tailored to the needs of the customer. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, the company offers a full suite of electronic security services for residential, business and national account customers across North America and Puerto Rico through a network of branches and authorized dealers. The Vector Security Networks division offers customized physical security and managed network services to multi-site commercial customers. Vector Security is a sister company of the Philadelphia Contributionship, a mutual insurance company founded in 1752, and currently provides cost-effective, technology-based security and automation solutions to nearly 400,000 homes and businesses across 58 branch locations.