A larger portion of our call outs have been related to recession-related crime recently. Examples of our recent jobs include opportunist as well as planned break-ins, theft of data and theft of equipment.
Traditionally there has been difficulty in articulating ROI on security expenditures but the fact remains that is security is more important than ever, and a company’s information and physical assets are perhaps even more vulnerable than they ever were before. This is especially the case in hard-hit industries such as financial services and retail.
Nine security checks to protect your business1) Do your main front doors have secure overnight dead locks (that are BS3621-approved)? Many business owners don’t realise that most access control systems are not sufficient to keep people out. Multi-occupancy buildings can’t have key-operated deadlocks as they present fire risks.
2) Install locks with restricted keys. If you give a copyable key to an employee, they could potentially copy it and then sell the key to your property to the highest bidder,or help themselves at a later stage. We’ve installed locks with special keys for several high profile retailers and they’ve proven to be hugely successful. In some cases, we’ve saved clients in excess of £20k per annum and reduced theft and operational costs.
3) Don’t forget about your windows. To meet insurance standards, ground floor windows and other accessible windows should have key-operated bolts.
4) Fit thumbturn locks to rear fire exit doors. Key operated locks are illegal in communal buildings and panic bars alone are not sufficient. What most people don’t realise is that there are only certain locks that you can put on a fire exit.
5) Have the correct safe installed. What are you protecting? Most safes do not cover both data and security. Specialist requirements can be catered for should you have an insurance company requirement.
6) Install the correct alarm. Alarms can be great deterrents. One type of alarm on the market at the moment is a very economic wireless alarm with bells only, or which can call your mobile phone when activated. These can be used in the home and in your business.
7) Install CCTV. CCTV is another deterrent. Recorded evidence of break-ins or vandalism will certainly put off would-be burglars (and disgruntled ex-employees will know about it, too).
8) Consider security grilles. These are the ultimate deterrent. We have never had a customer that has been broken into after installing our security grilles.
9) Upgrade your door. Steel door sets are for the very security-minded business owner. There are models that not only meet insurance standards with multi-point locking systems but also look like a beautiful, sculpted wooden door. For commercial use, standard steel door sets with ultra-secure multipoint mechanisms have been provided to customers such as Lidl UK.
*Jerry Jariwalla is a director at locksmith and security specialist Lockaid
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