Owning a business comes with a lot of risks, and we are not talking about financial risks such as incurring losses or low profits from making bad investments that threaten the growth of your business, but the risks of safeguarding your business from possible burglary or theft. Things like that happen and they come unexpectedly. You may never be able to anticipate every motive or attack planned against your business, especially from your very own in-house staff, however, you can still do something to prevent it from happening.
So sit back and read on as we tell you how to prevent a burglary from happening in your business:
1. Enhance Your Locks
Locks are as important to businesses as it is to households. Ensuring safety from possible break-ins should start with enhancing your locks. A standard lock can keep the door from being opened, but it may only be for a certain amount of time because burglars know how to pick locks. So you have to opt for locks that are heavy-duty, made of steel, and sturdy materials. You can install locks on your windows because they can also be potential entryways for burglars, especially if your windows are big enough for them to fit.
Adding a layer of protection can help further secure your doors and windows. You can install steel bars across your doors that will serve as a barricade, so they stay closed even if the burglar has already broken the initial lock. If your windows don’t have outer layer protection or grilles, we suggest that you install bars made of cast iron or stainless steel for protection. Doing this will make it difficult to break your windows and open your doors, and will serve as a deterrent for burglars. If your business is located in areas prone to such incidents, it pays to take action early on and upgrade your locks.
2. Install an Alarm System
An alarm system is another way to deter burglars from entering the vicinity of your business or office space. It doesn’t only make an effective deterrent for external threats, but also internal ones, such as possible inside jobs from in-house staff.
Installing an alarm system is not as expensive as you may think it is. You can do your research and look for a company that provides quality and anti-theft alarm systems at a budget-friendly price. With an alarm system, you can opt for remote monitoring and simply access it using your mobile device, desktop, laptop, or tablet. This way, even if you are not physically present, you can still monitor what transpires in your business, who comes in and out of the building, etc.
3. Install CCTV Cameras
CCTV cameras are a necessity nowadays because of all the high possibilities of break-ins and burglaries in businesses. They come in handy because they provide surveillance videos and even images of day-to-day occurrences in different areas of your office perimeters. Installing CCTV cameras in your office space, especially in areas where crimes can potentially happen, can serve as a deterrent for burglars and may cause them to not push through with their crimes. They can also protect your business during operating and non-operating hours.
Make sure to have your CCTV cameras tactically installed in areas where they can get a better focus on the faces, body language, and other details of people who come in and out of the office as well as the whole crime in the event that it happens within the vicinity. Since installing CCTV cameras have legalities and privacy concerns, you should also see to it that your employees are properly informed about the reasons for having CCTV cameras in the office. Keep in mind that CCTV cameras shouldn’t be installed in areas such as restrooms, employee lounges, and other areas where privacy is mostly needed.
4. Secure Your Inventory
Burglars are mostly attracted to what calls for their attention. The largest down to smallest items can possibly be a target for theft, so be sure to secure your inventory and have a proper place to store them. If you own a shop with a large display window, we suggest that you remove the display items and store them somewhere safe before closing. Another tip is to limit the number of staff or employees who can enter your storage room and see to it that there is a CCTV camera installed inside to serve as a deterrent for possible theft.
5. Keep Surroundings Well-lit
The indoor and outdoor areas of your business should all be well-lit. Take note of areas such as entry and exit points, storage rooms, parking lots, and other rooms that contain items of high value. A dark surrounding can signify that no one is around or no one is guarding the place, but a bright, well-lit place can show that there are actually people who can witness a crime, which can cause burglars to be discouraged in performing the crime.
6. Maintain Cleanliness and Organization
You might be wondering, “what do cleanliness and organization have to do with preventing a burglary in your business?” If an office space or facility is well-maintained, this gives burglars the impression that every detail in the business is being closely monitored. Disorganized office space has tendencies of misplacing important records, items, products, etc., which gives burglars all the more reasons to steal without you even knowing.
7. Hire a Security Guard From a Reputable Security Agency
The mere presence of someone such as a security guard can be a very effective deterrent for burglars. Hiring security guards from a reputable security agency helps add safety and protection to your business because they are already professionally trained and know how to respond to emergencies and threats. So in case a break-in occurs, they will know immediately and can take action to prevent such a crime from happening in your business.
If you are in need of security guards for your business, contact us today and we will be glad to offer you the best of our services!