Burglary was the second most common property crime in the United States in 2019. Even though the crime rate has gone down significantly during the pandemic, people should not let their guard down. This is particularly true for business owners who have yet to fully recover from the effects of the pandemic.
Here are some ways for you to keep your business safe from burglaries.
Store Items Properly
Prevention is always better than cure. So, it’s best to store items properly. For instance, high-value items should be out of anyone’s reach and inside a locked casing. If you typically display high-value items near the window, make sure to remove them and store them inside a proper container when you close the store.
If your store sells lightweight items, it’s best to display them away from the windows or door. This will make it harder for opportunistic burglars from getting hold of them and carting them away.
Install Security Devices
Since you won’t be in the store all the time, you should install security devices at the place. These security devices include security cameras and a commercial alarm system. The security camera can record the presence of suspicious individuals or suspicious activities in and around the store. They can also help you identify or at least have a clue on the identity of criminals, especially since many people wear masks these days.
The alarm system ensures the authorities are notified in case a burglary is in progress. It can also drive criminals away when they are triggered during a break-in. Criminals don’t normally stay at a place with security alarms sounding off around them.
Additionally, the sight of these devices can serve as crime deterrents. Criminals do not normally steal from stores with security devices. Aside from these security devices, you can further deter potential burglars by setting up signs indicating the presence of the devices. The knowledge that the store has these devices normally deter criminals.
Use Tempered Glass Windows
If your store has a window display using ordinary glass, it’s best to replace it with tempered glass. This type of glass is four times stronger than ordinary glass and is strong enough to deter anyone from throwing a brick at it.
You can also use laminated glass, which also provides suitable protection against smash-and-grab burglars. It’s made of two pieces of glass with a tough plastic interlayer in between them. While the glass will crack into a spiderweb pattern when someone pounds it with a hammer, it won’t shatter due to its tough plastic interlayer.
Install Bars on Windows and Skylights
Burglars do not normally enter a store through the front door. While there may be a few who enter through the front door, these criminals have already observed the store and they know when no one is inside the store.
But, more often than not, they try to enter through the window of the skylights. To discourage them from entering through these places, you can install bars that will not make it humanly possible for a person to enter there. For the door, you can also install a double-cylinder deadbolt to secure it. These types of locks require using a key to open the two sides. This makes escaping challenging for a burglar, which will increase the chances of the burglar getting caught.
Keep the Store Well-Lit
Ensuring the store is well-lit can also deter potential criminals. Aside from the light outside, you can also leave a light on inside the store. While you may have already stored high-value items in a secure container, you can focus the light on the area where the cash register is so that it’s visible from the outside.
Putting light in these areas makes it easy for security personnel or patrolling police to easily check the store for any suspicious activities. Keeping the store clean also sends a message to the burglar that you are keeping a close eye on your store. Your sign should be clean and up-to-date. If there’s a need to repair it, you have to do so as soon as possible.
Secure the Safe
Since you’ll be storing high-value items in a safe, you should make sure it’s secure. You should keep it out of sight from anyone entering the store. If the burglars don’t know where it is, they waste their time looking for it. And if the store alarms are triggered, they’ll scamper away before the police arrive. You should also avoid leaving a lot of cash in the store overnight even if you leave it inside the safe.
Keeping your business safe is essential especially during this time when you’re still trying to recover from the pandemic that has affected your sales.
