As a small business owner, one of the last things you want is for thieves and bandits to target your establishment. You’ve spent considerable time and resources building your vision, so the urge to protect it is natural, say experts like burglary defense attorney Moorhead Law.
Staying safe is easier said than done, however. Admittedly, there’s no way to completely negate the threat of your business being targeted, but with some smart decisions and the right precautions in place, you can seriously reduce the risk of burglars taking what you’ve worked so hard to build. Read on, and learn how you can start burglar-proofing your business.
An Alarm System Is A Must
In the 21st Century, having an alarm system for your small business is a necessity. The mere presence of an alarm system can be enough to deter many minor thieves and vandals, and for more experienced criminals, the functionality of your alarm system will make their “job” that much more difficult. Alarm systems can detect motion, when someone exits or enters a doorway, and even record visuals—if you have a capable camera installed.
With most modern security systems, you can monitor your business remotely—through a smartphone or tablet—and what’s more, the costs for all this advanced gadgetry aren’t anywhere near as prohibitive as they were in the past. In other words, you can keep tabs on your business 24/7 without breaking the bank, so why not just do it?
Don’t Leave Entry Points Unlocked
Sometimes burglars gain access to your business the easy way—through the front door (or window). By-and-large, criminals are opportunistic, so if they spot an open window or unlocked door they’re going to take advantage of it. This is an easy fix, however—simply check all your doors and windows when you leave for the evening to avoid any such mishaps.
Control Building Access
While it’s dismaying to think about, the keys, access cards, etc. that you lend out to employees can be used by burglars to access your business. That’s why you should take care to keep track of any such access tokens you hand out to your employees. Keep a list, and require that employees sign keys in and out so you know where they are at all times. Of course, this sort of monitoring goes smoother when you hire trustworthy employees, which leads to our next point.
Know Who You’re Hiring
In some instances, theft of your business property might be an inside job, and those very employees you hired to help end up stealing from you. It’s unsavory to think about, true, but still something you’ll need to safeguard your business against. To do so, you’ll want to perform a thorough background investigation on any individual you wish to hire or grant access to your business. This will alert you to flags in their past that may be indicative of criminality.
Evaluate Your Weaknesses
With any establishment, there are overlooked weak points that may inadvertently provide access to outsiders. Get in the habit of performing security checkups, assessing where you might be falling short, and making corrections to ensure that you are protected.