Lodge Security strengthens retail crime strategy with acquisition of specialist store detective business Advantage One
Redditch, UK – 14th January 2026 — Lodge Security, a leading provider of integrated security solutions, has acquired Advantage One, a specialist store detective business based in Redditch, strengthening its retail crime and loss prevention capability at a time when retailers face increasingly organised and persistent threats.
Retail crime has evolved. Opportunistic theft has given way to repeat offending, organised retail crime and increased aggression towards frontline teams. As a result, retailers are demanding more than visible presence — they need specialist capability that delivers outcomes.
Advantage One brings exactly that. Known for its highly trained plain-clothes store detectives, the business specialises in prevention, detection, evidence gathering and offender outcomes, all supported by its category 1 ARC, based in its head office in Redditch. Its teams work discreetly on the shop floor, influencing offender behaviour, building intelligence and producing prosecution-ready evidence — not just recording incidents.
By bringing Advantage One into the Lodge Security group, Lodge enhances its ability to deliver a fully integrated retail crime strategy. This combines overt guarding, covert store detective operations, 24/7 crime hub, intelligence-led reporting and data-driven insight under one provider, giving clients a clearer line of sight from incident to impact.
"This is a deliberate investment in specialist capability," said 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 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 has operated a cost-efficient UK-specification control room in Johannesburg, South Africa, now working in tandem with Advantage One's Category 1 Alarm Receiving Centre (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 ROI through South African operational rates combined with UK-based service standards — allowing retailers to invest more in frontline capability without compromising on response quality or compliance.
Advantage One will continue to operate as a specialist store detective unit within Lodge Security, retaining the expertise, people and approach that have made it a trusted partner to retailers, while benefiting from Lodge'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 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," added Darren Conway. "It understands behaviour, patterns and risk. This acquisition strengthens our ability to turn retail crime incidents into insight — and insight into action — for our clients."