Most burglaries occur when a business closes for the night. This makes logical sense; trying to rob a shop full of customers or an office full of employees is mind-blowingly stupid. Burglars will wait until everyone leaves, so they get an empty building with fewer barriers in their way.
Security threats like these are way more common than you expect. A UK Government report indicates that 26% of all business premises were victims of any crime in the last year. Theft and burglaries were the most common – and they almost always happened out-of-hours.
Consequently, you need to learn how to protect your business after closing up for the day. It’s genuinely not as hard or expensive as you think; here are the top three deterrents to consider:
Install CCTV Cameras
Add CCTV cameras to your business premises and you’ll prevent a host of potential burglaries. Thieves are less likely to target a business with obvious cameras pointing at them. It increases their possibility of being caught, so they won’t take the risk.
Be sure you have a smattering of cameras around your premises to cover all angles of the exterior. This will ward off burglars – and there are even reports that fake CCTV cameras are enough of a deterrent. You could use a mixture of the two if you need to save money. It’s also a good idea to outsource CCTV camera installation to a company that can monitor the video footage for you at all times.
Hire Security Guards
As effective as CCTV cameras are, they’re nowhere near as good as physical human security guards. Zed Security, a leading security services provider, comments that static security guards are among the biggest deterrents to potential intruders. People will see the guards outside your business and immediately think twice about trying to break in.
Again, it’s far more risky when there’s someone present. The security guard can easily catch an intruder and then take them to the police station. They don’t want to risk this, which means they’re likely to leave your business alone for good.
Implement Protective Measures On Windows/Doors
If you can’t afford security guards, the next best option is to install other protective measures around your commercial property. Many companies will use shutters to cover windows and doors – this is an excellent idea.
Shutters protect these structures and make it harder for someone to break into your building. Doors can be kicked in, and windows can be smashed, but neither of these things will happen when there’s a protective barrier over them. It’s one of the easiest ways to prevent burglaries, particularly if your business is located on a high street with lots of foot traffic.
Ideally, you’ll use all three of these ideas to protect your business after closing time. If you don’t have the budget for this, then pick one or two options instead. Each one will deter burglars and intruders, but the more you use, the lower the risk will be for your business.
