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Security, Business, Rethink, Security Measures, A&R Security Services, Security Services, Antisocial behaviour

Should you rethink your business security?

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Vandalism, burglary and malicious damage cost Welsh and UK businesses thousands of pounds. With an estimated 1 in 5 businesses being negatively affected by crime, many will see security as a top priority.

Businesses that work across different sectors see a range of threats and criminal offences. But who from?

The Home office published a recent report that looks at the issues that contribute to crimes against businesses within the UK.

Organised Crime

As the name suggests, organised crimes are planned, coordinated and conducted by people working together. Organised crime is normally seen within the agricultural, forestry or fishing sector, with many businesses reporting that crimes conducted are believed to be carried out by organised criminals.

22% of reported crimes from these sectors were burglaries (including attempted burglaries) and it is thought that 40% of these were carried out by organised groups.

Anti-social Behaviour

Anti-social behaviour is an umbrella term for a range of smaller crimes conducted. Vandalism is the most common type of crime that is reported by businesses. Malicious damage and petty thefts come under anti-social behaviour and cost businesses thousands and is often put down as a result of young, rowdy and aggressive people or YOB culture as it is better known as.

1 in 5 business are impacted by crime

According to a study carried out by a leading business insurer – petty theft, vandalism and malicious damages cost business £9.8 billion a year. 1 in 5 business are impacted by these crimes and can cost them anything between £20,000 and £66,000 each year, depending on their sector and geographical location.

Some businesses are more at risk than others

Different sectors are often more at risk than others. Utilities, engineering, transport, construction and agriculture see the most crimes, with theft of materials, equipment and vehicles, vandalism and even arson costing businesses up to £155 million a year.

It’s not just big business that are targeted

Although big businesses have the most in terms of valuable assets, they are often harder to commit crimes due to stronger security measures. Smaller businesses have the same amount of security as larger businesses and often see themselves becoming targets for burglaries – costing small businesses £3,340 per crime.

When are businesses at risk of crime?

In regard to time, vandalism and malicious crimes can happen at any time but 77% of vandalism normally occurs in the evening and during the cover of darkness. Also, a report shows that 59% of incidents involving antisocial behaviour often occurs during the week compared to 41% over the weekend.

In regard to businesses being burgled, it is more difficult to get clear statistics. However, most intruder related incidents often occur over the weekend. Evening and nights remain the most common time for crimes to be committed.

 

What can businesses do to reduce their security risks?

Many leading business insurers put emphasis on the importance of preparing for risks that they may face and to have the right levels of protection in place. Ensuring that you have adequate defensive measures in place such as CCTV, Alarms, Locks, guards and patrols is crucial when maintaining your businesses security.

Burglary and vandalism can be devastating to any business no matter their size and sector. Having professional security solutions in place can provide effective protection to your business.

A&R Security Services can provide professional Security solutions to businesses in South Wales

To find out more about our professional security services visit our website or give us a call on 01656 713950

Burglaries, Swansea, Cardiff, Newport, RCT, Bridgend, Security, Commercial Security, A&R Security Services

3 most common types of commercial burglaries in Swansea

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According to recent reports and statistics from Police.uk there were 1,231 burglaries reported in Swansea between August 2018 and July 2019.

Combined with data from You.gov – which shows that burglaries cost small businesses on average £2K and the UK economy over £1.8bn – clearly showing that burglaries present a threat to businesses in Swansea.

In order for business owners to protect their business, staff and assets, it’s important for business owners to understand what they are up against. Knowing what they are up against allows business owners to implement necessary security procedures that will protect their business.

There are three types of commercial burglaries. Here we’ll outline what they are as well as give you tips on how to avoid becoming a target.

Opportunistic Burglaries

These types of burglaries are often carried out on a whim. For example, a potential criminal may notice an open window or door that has been left unlocked. By taking advantage of these lapses in security, an opportunistic burglar will enter your property and steal as much as they can in a short amount of time.

Most of the time, opportunistic burglars will make little to no effort to conceal their presence and avoid detection by alarms or CCTV, and will often enter your property quickly, grab whatever they see and then leave.

Opportunistic burglars are the easiest to prevent. However, within the last year, only 5% of burglaries in the UK were solved by police, indicating that even opportunistic burglars aren’t successful.

In order to prevent opportunistic burglaries:

·         Ensure that doors and windows are closed and locked whenever your premises is unoccupied.

·         Close blinds to ensure burglars can’t see into your property.

·         Lock valuables and important documents in secure lock draws or cabinets

·         Don’t leave cash on your property (if it is un-avoidable keep it in a secure safe)

 

Smash and grab burglaries

Smash and grab burglaries involve criminals using heavy objects to smash windows and gain entry into a property. Occasionally stolen vehicles or heavy machinery are used to ram into shop fronts and help thieves make a quick getaway.

Crimes involving vehicles being used to ram into buildings is often known as ‘Ram Raiding’ and are especially dangerous to the public, to your staff and can be expensive to recover from.

Whether smash and grab burglars use a vehicle or not – Smash and grabs can often occur day or night, usually targeting the front of the building and are often over with within a minute.

To protect yourself from Smash and grabs:

·         Use metal shutters to protect the front of your business.

·         Ensure to use high-density glass on windows and doors throughout the property

·         Position visible CCTV cameras so that you always have a clear view of any large windows or doors.

·         Station security guards at the front of your business.

 

Sophisticated Burglaries

Unlike Opportunistic or smash and grab burglaries, sophisticated burglaries are often undertaken by criminals who observe to minimise their chances of being caught, as well as maximising the amount of time they can spend within your property.

Any criminal looking to undertake a sophisticated burglary will observe you and your staff and spot vulnerable security points that can later be exploited. For example, if your building is unoccupied either overnight or for a couple of days, they may choose these times to act. They may also approach employees in order to get insider information about your alarm system and how it can be deactivated. Alternatively, they purposely set your alarm system off numerous times to stop security guards and police responding to your property’s alarm system (thinking there is a fault).

To avoid becoming a victim here are some tips to help:

·         Hire mobile security guards to patrol the exterior and interior of your property at unscheduled times.

·         Ensure your staff do not give out codes or security information – regularly change your alarm codes.

·         Respond to all alarm soundings – no matter if it is a fault with the system or a purposeful activation

·         Hire manned security to guard your property overnight and over weekends

·         Monitor CCTV footage to see if anyone is spending time outside observing your property for long periods of time or approaching employees.

A&R Security Services provides professional security services in Swansea including manned guarding, mobile security, alarm installation and monitoring, and secure key holding services. If you would like to know more about our services call us on 01656 713950 or visit our website for more details.