The summer is time to relax and unwind, but if proper care is not taken at your business premises before you leave, it can be hijacked by a criminal incident.
Summer security breaches can sometimes appear to be less threatening; however, this can often end up in injury or lead to damaged property.
1) During summer there will be an increase in the rate of loitering and anti-social behaviour. Take the necessary precautions by securing your site perimeter and all entry and exit points.
2) Ensure that all employees are aware of company security procedures. The biggest security breach is windows and doors being left open especially during the hot weather spell. This makes your business an easy target for intruders. Statistics show that a large percentage of alarm calls outs are a direct result of windows being left open.
3) If you are shutting down your business for the holidays, at least one week before closure, test your alarm for monitoring centre response. This time frame will allow for engineer visit if repairs are required.
4) Make sure that you update your keyholders list, and send it to your alarm monitoring company. Inform your keyholders that you will be away and most importantly let your alarm monitoring provider know that your business will be closed and for how long.
5) There is an increase in nightlife activities during the summer due to festivals and events. Be aware of events taking place in your local area and it is a good idea to have a plan to secure any money and valuables before, during and after such events. If you have concerns about any event within your business community the advice is to contact your local Garda and your security provider.
Preventative measures
Expensive Equipment: Computers, tablets, mobiles and company vehicle keys and other costly equipment left on desks can be all the motivation a criminal need to break into your office. Remove expensive equipment as far away from the windows as possible and vehicle keys should be kept in a locked safe. Most crime is perpetuated by opportunists, rather than being a pre-planned attack, so don’t give room for temptation!
More Security Cameras: CCTV cameras and alarms will intimidate potential burglars, so these security devices should be utilised to their full extent.
Secure Fence Line: Think about your office environment; do you have protective fences and gates that can be locked, either on site or remotely when no one is in the building?
In closing, trained staff with strong security awareness will definitely reduce the risk of an opportunist criminal incident. Remember to get all your teams and workers involved with keeping the office safe. Implementing procedures and pinning up checklists on how to lock doors and gates properly are just a few simple suggestions that can make a lot of difference. Not only will this ensure the office is safe at night, but it will also encourage the employees to lock up after themselves if they come to do some work during the summer breaks.
If you wish to take extra precaution in securing your premises, Top Security can send professionals to visit your premises to carry out a risk audit. This risk audit will highlight vulnerable areas and suggest counter measures to make these areas safer.