News

Christmas is a great time of the year but is also one of the most active times for crimes against business.

Most business burglaries take place at night and at other times when burglars believe buildings are unlikely to be occupied. The number of business burglaries increases dramatically during the holiday season because premises are often left vacant for relatively long periods.

Effective security measures do help to prevent crime. Here are 10 things to consider that may help deter thieves at your business this holiday season:

1. Make sure the external areas of your business premises are well lit at all times – car parks in particular. It makes it harder for a thief to get close to your buildings unobserved.
2. Appropriate and well-maintained fences and gates not only make it harder for a burglar to get in but help restrict what they can take out.
3. Make sure the external areas of your premises are rubbish free and all tools and ladders are securely locked away, and either store wheelie bins inside or chain them to posts away from windows.
4. Landscaping around your buildings is important – make sure your buildings are clearly visible and that trees and shrubs don’t provide hiding places close to doors and windows.
5. Make sure your security alarm is serviced and visible, and consider cameras and closed circuit television monitoring.
6. Ram raiding can be prevented by a strong physical barrier (for example bollards, heavy planters or road blocker devices) in front of walls, windows or doors and consider bollards to prevent a vehicle entering your business’s driveway.
7. Deadlocks and window locks take additional time to breach and consider installing window bars if you haven’t got them already.
8. Consider installing protective lighting internally so that if a burglar gets into your building, they are more visible.
9. Walk around your business and determine what would be the most valuable things a burglar could take relatively easily – and consider ways to prevent this (security mark computer and other valuable equipment).
10. Get someone to make regular checks on your premises while they are closed and consider employing a security guard.

       
Planning is key when it comes to protecting your business – make sure your business is properly covered with insurance so you and your people can enjoy the break you deserve. Talk to your insurance adviser today about business insurance.