Twenty six percent of all 2010 burglaries targeted non-residential dwellings, which amounts to nearly 500,000 incidences, according to the FBI. In light of these facts, business owners cannot afford to ignore small business burglary prevention tips.
To decrease your chance of being included in these burglary statistics, follow these seven tips to burglar proof your business.
1) Force burglars to be in the spotlight. Lighting has a way of discouraging burglars. Flood and motion detector lights strategically placed outside your business establishment and near every door and window will deter all but the most highly-determined burglar. But don’t forget about the inside. Place lighting inside so that a robber inside can easily be spotted from windows. Keep window displays from blocking the street view at night and when the building is vacant.
2) Install security alarms. Burglar alarms are the most obvious tip to burglar proof your business. A silent alarm that notifies law enforcement or a private security agent is a good way to catch a criminal who continues stealing unbeknownst that law enforcement is on its way. A building alarm is effective in that it can scare the burglar and notify nearby individuals. Let would-be burglars know that your establishment is protected by an alarm by placing stickers on windows and doors of your security alarm service.
3) Install sturdy locks. A lock that is particular troublesome to break will discourage a burglar who wants to get in and get out as quickly as possibly. Experts recommend a pin-cylinder lock, which are difficult to pick. A dead-bolt lock that requires a knob or key to set if a good option because typical burglar techniques to break into a lock won’t work with this type of lock. Hinges should be placed on the inside to prevent the pin from being removed. Make sure door frames cannot be jimmied.
4) Use burglar-proof glass. Burglar-resistant glass, such as those that sandwich plastic between glass deters access to both display cases and the building itself. While this type of glass can be broken, it requires noisy and continuous hammering to do so.
5) Be smart with safes. bolt safes to a wall and place them in full view where they will be visible from the street. Whenever possible, empty the safe at night. As an added precaution, add a silent alarm feature to valuable safes.
6) Monitor keys. Keep a close eye of key distributions. Require employees to turn in the keys when they leave, and have different master keys for inside and outside the business.
7) Removes bushes and bins. Thieves love to hide, and bushes and bins will do just fine. Removing as many of these as you can will cut down the opportunity to hide out waiting for the right time to strike.
While most every business owner takes some precaution to prevent burglaries, following as many tips to burglar proof your business will be the best protection to keep your merchandise, equipment, profits out of thieves’ hands.
