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.

10 ways to protect your premises against metal theft

While the number of reported scrap metal thefts in the UK has dropped in recent years thanks to the introduction of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act, scrap metal continues to be a valuable source of income for criminals.

The export value of lead, copper and other metals encourages criminals to regularly break into premises such as schools, construction sites, churches, offices, abandoned buildings and other public sites to strip metals and later sell them on to scrap dealers for a significant fee.

At its height, scrap metal thieves were targeting as many as 1,000 commercial properties in the UK every week. So how can businesses and commercial sites protect themselves?

1. Have a risk assessment of your premises to work out which parts of your site hold valuable scrap metal and ensure that they are protected and monitored
2. Make sure that any surplus of metal is hidden from view, or even painted a different colour so that it is camouflaged from thieves
3. Install lighting in areas where criminals could potentially gain access
4. Install CCTV as a deterrent and to aid in conviction after any incident
5. Install heavy duty gates as a minimum. Choose from swing gates, sliding gates and bi-folding gates.
6. Every site is different, but for those with heavy traffic throughout the day you might want to consider a turnstile, or an automatic barrier controlled by push-buttons, tokens, proximity cards or by on site manned guards.
7. Property markers and signage, including invisible marking agents, are helpful in identifying metal that has been stolen and returning it to the owner
8. Apply anti-climb paint to areas that allow thieves to access your roofing, for example drain pipes and guttering
9. Clear away any bins, wheelbarrows, ladders or other moveable items which could be used by an intruder to gain access
10. Encourage neighbouring businesses and nearby residents to report any suspicious activity to the police such as vans or workmen visiting outside of normal hours.

By employing as many of these techniques as possible you should be able to turn your business premises into a fortress which deters criminal activity and reduces the chances of your building being stripped by scrap metal thieves.

Whether your business operates from commercial, industrial or retail premises, Gateway Automation provides a variety of security solutions and can provide you with a free, no obligation quotation and feasibility survey to assess your security requirements. Alternatively, you can download a brochure here or for more advice on securing your businesses property from crime please contact us here.

How to prevent plant and machinery theft

Construction sites are often full of high value plant and machinery and as such are seen as an easy target by criminals in the UK.

In fact a report from a leading insurer, Allianz Cornhill, puts the annual cost of the theft of construction plant such as excavators, compressors and cranes at as much as £800 million.

This theft not only occurs from temporary sites but also from static construction sites where plant machinery is stored.

An obvious tactic to cut down on plant theft is to make sure that keys are never left unmanned and nearby to machinery. The machinery itself should be stored away securely when not in use and where it is practical to do so. You should also make sure that lighting is increased during off hours, such as weekends, evenings and school holidays.

Plant machinery that is visible can become a clear target to criminals, however one way to put them off is to ensure that a quick get-away is off the cards.

Using perimeter gates, fences or automatic rising kerbs is a tried and tested method to prevent unauthorised access to vehicles, as are automatic gates.

At permanent or long term sites, it may also be worth investing in turnstiles (full-height) or waist-height) to limit access to permitted persons only.

Whereas many burglaries are unplanned and opportunistic, the size and weight of construction tools often means that related crimes are planned in advance. This means that a site which is well secured is less likely to fall victim to costly theft.

Gateway Automation provide a range of perimeter security systems to help businesses and individuals to secure their sites and also provides nationwide servicing and repairs to gates, barriers and other perimeter security equipment. To find out more, please contact us on 01522 68255 or take a look at our brochure which can be viewed here: http://www.gatewayautomation.co.uk/brochure/.

How to protect your business from graffiti

While petty vandalism like graffiti is sometimes brushed off as teenagers ‘having fun’ and part of growing up, it’s not a laughing matter if it’s your business that has been affected by it.

In fact, fixing the damage that has been caused by vandalism usually doesn’t come cheap and is often not something that has been budgeted for. The best way to protect your business against vandalism is to prepare yourself. Here are a few ways that you can do so.

Anti-graffiti paint
These types of paints are applied to your walls to make the removal of graffiti a simpler task. They work by preventing paints like spray paint from forming a physical bond with your existing paintwork on the exterior of your property and allow graffiti paint to be easily washed off.

Fences and gates
Of course while anti-graffiti paint can make it easier to remove graffiti, it would be better to stop it from happening in the first place. An easy way to do this is to install strong barriers to entry such as fencing and security gates. This means that even if vandals can make their way into your property they may struggle to get out again which will likely put them off ever attempting to do so.

CCTV
Security cameras are dual purpose; not only do they act as a deterrent to would-be graffiti artists but they can also help your business to prosecute an offender should they be caught.

Lighting
Graffiti will often take place at night which means vandals have a better chance of going unnoticed, so invest in some good motion censored lighting to deter them.

Gateway Automation provide a range products to help businesses and individuals to secure their sites and also provide nationwide servicing and repairs to gates, barriers and other perimeter security equipment. To find out more, please call us on 01522 682255.

3 things criminals look for when targeting commercial property

When it comes to our own homes recognising the threat of burglary usually comes naturally. However our places of work sometimes don’t always get the same level of consideration. Criminals know this and will look for the following three tell-tale signs that a property will be easy to break into.

Goods on display
It sounds obvious but you should make sure that anything worth stealing is kept indoors and well protected behind a perimeter gate and fencing system.

By leaving equipment, plant machinery or other valuable goods outside you are tempting opportunistic thieves who may believe they have a chance of making a quick get-away due to the goods being outdoors.

Storing them safely away and using a perimeter gate, fences or automatic rising kerbs to prevent vehicle entry, you can be confident that they will have a hard time both getting in and getting out again.

No physical deterrents
If a criminal thinks they can get away with breaking into your property then they are more likely to try and do so. So you need to look at all the ways that you could possibly put them off.

Swing gates, sliding gates and bi-folding gates are a good place to start and can warn off any would-be intruders.

Unsecured entry points
Windows and doors are some of the most common entry points when it comes to break ins. You should make sure that windows are always shut out-of-hours; the handles are not visible from the outside and if necessary have iron bars on exterior windows.

Not all security breaches happen during out-of-hours and through windows though, and many criminals will have the audacity to walk straight into your building through the front door if they are left unchallenged. You can reduce the chances of this happening by having security turnstiles in place to help you decide who gets access and to stop visitors while you ask to see their credentials.

Gateway Automation provide a range of perimeter security systems to help businesses and individuals to secure their sites and also provide nationwide servicing and repairs to gates, barriers and other perimeter security equipment. To find out more, please contact us on 01522 68255 or take a look at our brochure which can be viewed here: http://www.gatewayautomation.co.uk/brochure/.

Gateway are now certified Gate Safe Aware Installers

We are pleased to announce that after a successful course of training and assessments Gateway Automation has been awarded the ‘Gate Safe Aware’ accreditation by IOSH (Institution of Occupational Safety and Health) and Gate Safe.

The Gate Safe accreditation is given only to automated gate installers who have undergone specific training and rounds of assessments to show that they fully understand the safety guidelines surrounding responsible gate installation.

Gate Safe is a registered charity, set up in 2010 following the tragic deaths of two young children in separate accidents involving automated gates.

Gate Safe now campaigns for stronger industry regulations and works with manufacturers and installers to ensure that strict guidelines are followed and that safety protocol is adhered to.

As well as making sure that automated gates are safely installed, Gate Safe recommends that gates are regularly maintained and that appropriate safety checks are carried out at least every 6-12 months, and even more frequently at sites where automated gates have more regular usage.

Gateway Automation provide a range of gates to help businesses and individuals to secure their sites and also provide nationwide servicing and repairs to gates, barriers and other perimeter security equipment. To find out more, please contact us on 01522 68255 or take a look at our brochure which can be viewed here: http://www.gatewayautomation.co.uk/brochure/.