What kind of impact does a burglary have on a business?

A recent study by Victim Support showed that half of all business owners in the UK had been targeted by burglary, vandalism or other types of crime. Many of these business owners are targeted more than once and the damage can often go beyond just broken windows and locks.

The financial impact
The financial cost is one of the most obvious but also most alarming aspects of a burglary. When a criminal breaks in to a commercial property, they will likely cause lots of damage as they make their way in, smashing windows and doors, or causing damage to internal features, such as by ripping a safe from the wall. The cost of replacing windows, doors, locks and other damages can be very expensive and unfortunately you may find that your insurance does not cover it all. However, every day that you remain closed you are losing money so it is important to get everything back to normal as quickly as possible. Depending on the nature of your business there may also be damage to your reputation, especially if sensitive data or items that belonged to someone else were stolen.

The emotional impact
A burglary can be very traumatic for everyone in your business. As the owner of the business you may feel very shaken and disturbed by the incident. Many business owners say that a burglary feels like a very personal attack.

Your employees may also share your feelings and concerns. If they spend lots of time in the building then they may well feel unsettled for a period of time, especially as many businesses are burgled multiple times. So it’s important that action is taken following a break in.

In order to develop a comprehensive strategy for warning off burglars, you should have a risk assessment of your premises. This will highlight any weaknesses and provide you with recommendations of ways to improve your security and avoid repeating the distress that comes with a burglary.

Here at Gateway Automation we provide free, no-obligation quotations and feasibility surveys in order to find the best solution to security needs. For more information please visit our website http://www.gatewayautomation.co.uk/ or call us on 01522 682 255.

5 building security mistakes commonly made by businesses

When criminals case a property, they are looking for an easy target where they can easily break in, go unnoticed while they are there and return with the maximum spoils. So what are some of the most common security mistakes that business make?

Poor lighting
A well lit property is in an instant deterrent to opportunistic criminals as it increases their chances of being detected by passers by. Security lighting can help to keep your building well light, and you could consider leaving lights on somewhere within the property out-of-hours so that it appears as if someone is there.

Failing to lock up important areas or protect valuable assets and information
Whether it’s expensive IT equipment, power tools, money or sensitive data, almost every business will have something worth protecting. A common mistake that businesses make is to think that security ends with exterior protection. You should have a system in place which means that anything valuable or sensitive is locked away or well hidden whenever possible.

Failing to prevent vehicular access out of hours
A criminal who can gain access to your property with their vehicle will be able to get away much faster than they would on foot. So it is important to restrict access, where possible. Gateway’s Automatic Rising Kerbs are a secure method of preventing a fast getaway from taking place.

No physical deterrents
When a burglar targets a property, they will first weigh up the perceived financial reward with the chances of being caught. Physical deterrents are there to tip the balance in your favour. By installing comprehensive security around you entry points such as fencing and tough Automatic Security Gates you can make sure your property is on the no-go list for criminals.

Securing your building with keys
While physical keys are the normal method of gaining access to a property they aren’t without their downsides. A physical key can be copied easily by anyone who desires to do so and they can leave you with an expensive headache should they be lost and you need to change the locks. Rather than rely on physical keys, modern businesses should be looking at alternative methods such as Access Control Equipment.

Gateway Automation can provide free, no obligation quotes and feasibility surveys for your premises. To get us to assess your security requirements, please contact us here.