In 2016, robbery made up 26.6 percent of all violent crime in the U.S., according to FBI statistics. The numbers also reveal that burglaries accounted for nearly one-fifth of all property crimes reported.
These numbers might not seem significant until your business becomes one of them. That’s why it’s important for business owners to take the initiative of creating a robbery prevention strategy to protect their assets, employees, and customers.
Deter, Deter, Deter
While many people tend to think of commercial security as something that makes a loud noise to scare a robber away or catches them in the act, the best robbery prevention strategy is to deter criminals from breaking in at all.
In a study by the Rutgers University School of Criminal Justice in Newark, a whopping 83 percent of burglars said they took the time to check for a burglar alarm before committing a break-in. Over half of those surveyed said that the presence of an alarm was enough to convince them to move on and look elsewhere for a target.
How can you convince a determined criminal that your business will be a tough nut to crack? The following tips should be part of any successful robbery prevention strategy.
Utilize Signs and Stickers
Since your goal is to prevent property damage, asset loss, and endangering your staff and visitors in the first place, let criminals know right off the bat that your business is being monitored. Place alarm company stickers on visible doors and windows. Install security monitoring signs where they can easily be seen. If a little sign or sticker is enough to make a criminal second-guess targeting your business, it’s a few seconds well-spent!
Put a Spotlight on Criminals
Criminals are like cockroaches; they love to conduct their business in the dark. By ensuring that your business has adequate lighting both inside and out, you’ll leave unsavory characters with no place to hide. Install good-quality lighting around all entrances and exits and make sure the interior is lit after hours so intruders have no place to hide.
In addition to this, make sure that all exterior landscaping is kept trimmed back, as bushes and trees give robbers an easy place to lurk. Don’t allow people to stack trash cans or any sort of items close to ground-level doors or windows.
Making Your Business Secure With a Robbery Prevention Strategy
While all of these low-tech options are a good start to deterring criminals, the best robbery prevention strategy is installing a comprehensive commercial security system. The most obvious part of this system will be a monitored alarm system to alert you, and the authorities, whenever a door or window has been breached.
The next layer is a security camera system with remote video monitoring. In addition to capturing evidence of criminals in the act, security cameras allow you to check on your business in real time. When you receive notification that a glass-break sensor has been set off, you can log in to see a live video feed that will confirm whether a burglary is in process. This helps cut down on false alarms in situations where, for instance, a new manager shows up early for work and forgets how to disarm the alarm system.
Another layer to a comprehensive commercial security system is access control. These devices let you determine who can access certain areas of your business, even keeping a log of who comes and goes and when. Between access control and security cameras, you’ll always be aware of what’s going on when you’re not around.
A thorough robbery prevention strategy is like an onion that consists of many layers. First, you deter criminals from targeting your business. Next, you make it as hard as possible for them to break in. If they do persist, your commercial security system will help ensure that they either get caught in the act … or get punished for it later.
At ProTech Security, we have a strong history of experience, innovation, and customer service. The ProTech Security Advantage is more than 30 years of service in Northeast Ohio and a strong commitment to providing quality, cost-effective protection for homes, businesses, educational institutions and government facilities. To see what ProTech Security can do for you, contact us today.
