The bulk of British companies are made up of small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). These are hard-working businesses that often run on tight margins and need to keep a close eye on cash flow – especially during periods of economic downturn, such as now.
If a company falls victim to a burglary, this can have serious consequences, which could cause severe disruption and involve a long period of recovery.
Data from the 2022 Commercial Victimisation Survey has revealed that:
- 28% of all business premises are estimated to have been a victim of any crime during the previous 12 months.
- The most common type of crime experienced was theft (15%), followed by burglary (including attempts) (9%), vandalism (9%), and assaults or threats (7%).
- Almost half of all premises in the wholesale and retail sector (42%) experienced any type of crime in the last 12 months.
- Premises which were accessible to the public were more likely to have been a victim of any crime (34%) than those which were not accessible to the public (21%).
- Medium-sized premises with between 10 and 49 employees were more likely to be victims of crime (38%) than those with nine or fewer employees (26%).
- The most prevalent type of theft was theft by a customer (11% of premises), with 17% of victimised premises experiencing it at least once per day.
- For premises that experienced assaults or threats at least once in the previous 12 months, approximately one-third (32%) reported being victims at least once a month.
- The average burglary costs small businesses in the region of £2000, with almost half saying they were targeted on more than one occasion.
So, what is the best advice for protecting your business and making it less vulnerable to a break-in?
Ensure everything is properly locked
First and foremost, take sensible precautions for when the premises are unoccupied. Make sure all doors and windows are properly locked when the last person leaves and that the locks themselves are robust. Old rusty locks may be easy to pick. If so, it could be time for them to be upgraded.
In addition, ensure that any sensitive documents or large sums of cash are put in a secure safe.
Secure Windows
Don’t make life easy for burglars. Keep valuable items, like electronic equipment, away from windows wherever possible. Putting blinds up can be a way of preventing everything from being left on display. Burglar-proof glass is also something worth considering, to deter opportunistic smash-and-grab thieves.
Alarm Systems
Keeping everything under lock and key - and out of sight – are important steps to follow. But there are a number of further measures that you can, and probably should take, to protect your business. An alarm system can be tailored to the layout and specific needs of your premises. A commonly used and effective approach is to have an intruder alarm installed with window and door sensors. This will immediately sound if anyone is attempting to get in, without entering a security code.
Motion and vibration sensor alarms
As an alternative, motion sensor alarms will pick up movement within a property. And for specific, high-value items, such as jewellery or a safe, a vibration sensor could be an option, activating an alarm if touched.
As a further layer of protection, these systems could be linked to a remote alarm monitoring station or the police.
CCTV Coverage
CCTV is highly effective at preventing burglaries from taking place. The sight of camera surveillance on a building would be sufficient for most thieves to head in the opposite direction, making it far less likely that your company will become a victim of crime. In addition, CCTV is also useful where shoplifting or employee theft is an issue.
The key to effective CCTV coverage is to make sure that cameras cover all areas of the property. Security lighting is also worth considering, either on its own or in conjunction with CCTV, as it makes an offender more visible.
Keep track of keys and swipe cards
It’s important to keep a close check on employees who have been handed keys or access cards for the property. Impress upon them the importance of them not being lost. If cards go missing, they should be cancelled without delay. And when a staff member leaves, make sure they return their keys and swipe cards! If you use an access control system that is linked to ID swipe cards, this can make it much easier to keep a check on who is entering the building.
Make unscheduled visits
If you are a business owner, it can often pay to make impromptu, out-of-hours visits to the premises, especially if you are operating a 9-5 type business. If a burglar is monitoring movements, this is one way of giving them second thoughts about breaking in.
At Justice Fire & Security, we have been helping commercial premises stay safe and secure for over 30 years. Our clients include small start-up businesses right through to some of the biggest employers in the West Midlands and wider catchment area, across both private and public sectors. If you are unsure about the current level of security for your office, retail unit, factory, warehouse, school or government building, call us now on 0845 468 0927.
We operate throughout Birmingham, the wider West Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire.
