HOW IS YOUR SECURITY?
The checklist for rapid review of the security of your building:
o Double cylinder deadbolt locks on all outside doors?
o Panel doors metal lined to resist drilling?
o Rear and side doors reinforced by cross bar?
o Bars or granting on rear and side windows, skylights?
o Transoms securely latched?
o Safe anchored to floor?
o Blank checks and checks writer in safe place?
o Padlocks locked in place during day?
o Hasps bolted to building and door?
o Adequate lights at night?
Remember, the strongest entry door will not protect you if you have an unlocked window in the back. Make sure to take all the necessary steps to provide safety for yourself and your workers. Three out of four commercial burglaries are committed against buildings that have either no light, or inadequate lighting.
Total protection requires more than light, locks, and alarm system. Protect your company further in case of break in.
o Keep record of serial numbers of all merchandise and equipment. Keep an inventory of all valuables.
o Leave the cash register open at night to prevent unnecessary damage, unless it’s really
unbreakable.
o Your company should endorse all checks as soon as they’re received.
o Call 911 immediately
o Instruct all employees to avoid any movement in the area because even a footprint can help catching a burglar.
o Be prepared to give an account of any items missing.Source used: Burglary Prevention Crime Unit, NYPD;
Small Business Crime Prevention
Crime—burglary, robbery, vandalism, shoplifting, employee theft, and fraud— costs
businesses billions of dollars each year. Crime can be particularly devastating to small
businesses, which lose both customers and employees when crime and fear claim a
neighborhood.
When small businesses are victims of crime, they often react by changing their hours of
operation, raising their prices to cover their losses, relocating outside the community, or simply closing. Fear of crime isolates businesses, much like fear isolates individuals—and this isolation increases vulnerability to crime.
Helping small businesses reduce and prevent crime must be a community effort. Law enforcement can work with owners to improve security and design their spaces to reduce risk. Small businesses can join together in such efforts as Business Watch to alert each other to crime patterns and suspicious activities. They can help young people in the community learn jobseeking skills and give them jobs, when possible.
Finally, businesses must reach out to others—law enforcement, civic groups, schools,
churches, youth groups—to fight violence, drugs, and other crime and create a safer community for all.
Laying a Foundation for Prevention
Take a hard look at your business—its physical layout, employees, hiring practices, and overall security. Assess its vulnerability to all kinds of crime, from burglary to embezzlement.
Some basic prevention principles include:
o Provide training for all employees—including cleaning staff — so they are familiar with
security procedures and know your expectations.
o Use good locks, safes, and alarm systems. If you have questions, seek the help of law
enforcement. Keep detailed, up-to-date records. Store back-up copies off the premises. If
you are ever victimized, you can assess losses more easily and provide useful information
for law enforcement investigations.
o Establish and enforce clear policies about employee theft, employee substance abuse,
crime reporting, opening and closing the business, and other security procedures. Mark
equipment—registers, adding machines, calculators, computers, and typewriters—with an
identification number (for example, tax identification or license number). Post the
Operation Identification warning sticker in your storefront window. Keep a record of all
identification numbers off the premises with other important records. Consider the cost of each security improvement you make against the potential savings through loss reduction. Remember to assess the impact on employees and customers.
Crimes against businesses are usually crimes of opportunity. Failure to take good security precautions invites crime into a business.
Burglary Prevention
o Make sure all outside entrances and inside security doors have deadbolt locks. If you use padlocks, they should be made of steel and kept locked at all times. Remember to remove serial numbers from your locks, to prevent unauthorized keys from being made.
o All outside or security doors should be metal-lined and secured with metal security
crossbars. Pin all exposed hinges to prevent removal. Windows should have secure locks
and burglar-resistant glass. Consider installing metal grates on all your windows except
display windows. Remove all expensive items from window displays at night and make
sure you can see easily into your business after closing.
o Light the inside and outside of your business, especially around doors, windows, skylights, or other entry points. Consider installing covers overexterior lights and power sources to deter tampering. Check the parking lot for good lighting and unobstructed views.
o Keep your cash register in plain view from the outside of your business, so police can
monitor it during the day or at night. Leave it open and empty after closing. Be sure your
safe is fireproof and securely anchored. It should be kept in plain view. Leave it open
when itʼs empty, use it to lock up valuables when you close. Remember to change the
combination when an employee who has had access to it leaves your business.
o Before you invest in an alarm system, check with several companies and decide what level of security fits your needs. Contact your local law enforcement agency to recommend established companies. Learn how to use your system properly. Check the system daily, and run a test when closing.
Robbery Prevention
Robbery doesnʼt occur as often as other crimes against businesses, but the potential for loss can be much greater from a single incident. Also, robbery involves force or threat of force and can result in serious injury or death.
o Greet every person who enters the business in a friendly manner. Personal contact can
discourage a would-be criminal.
o Keep windows clear of displays or signs and make sure your business is well lit. Check the layout of your store, eliminating any blind spots that may hide a robbery in progress.
o Provide information about your security systems to employees only on a “need-to-know” basis. Instruct your employees to report any suspicious activity or person immediately and write down the information for future reference.
o Place cash registers in the front section of the store. This increases the chances of
someone spotting a robbery in progress and reporting it to the police.
o Keep small amounts of cash in the register to reduce losses. Use a drop safe into which
large bills and excess cash are dropped by employees and cannot be retrieved by them.
Post signs alerting would-be robbers of this procedure.
o Make bank deposits often and during business hours. Donʼt establish a pattern; take
different routes at different times during the day. Ask a police officer to escort you to the
bank whenever possible. Ask local law enforcement what to do in case you are robbed.
Make sure your address is visible so emergency vehicles can easily find your business.
o If a robber confronts you or your employees, cooperate. Merchandise and cash can
always be replaced—people canʼt!
Source used: Burglary Prevention Crime Unit, NYPD;
http://www.ranchocordovapd.com
Printed and Distributed by The Gowanus Alliance Board of Trade Inc