11/29/2017
Thought I would share this post from Police Officer Raashid Brown, Dallas Police Department
Safety Tips: Business Burglary Prevention
The holiday season is a time where businesses are targeted for various reasons. The following information is designed to educate and inform those who work in a business environment, (especially retail), about business burglary/robbery prevention from risk management approach. Risk management may be defined as identifying areas of criminal vulnerability, analyzing the resulting potential profit loss and implementing appropriate security measures at a reasonable cost to your business. An effective business burglary prevention program requires your active interest and concern. Please share this information as needed.
KEYS & GATES:
Consider key control. Are office keys, master keys, safe keys and vehicle keys lying about? Do you know to whom your keys have been issued or entrusted? If management cannot answer these questions, your security risk factor is very high. Keep a record of all keys issued. Master keys and extra duplicates should be locked away for safekeeping. When a particular key is needed, everyone must sign for its use. Have ALL keys stamped with the words "do not duplicate.’’ Remember the following:
• When not in use, gates should be secured with good padlocks and chains. Deny burglars access to your roof by securing ladders, pallets, boxes, and crates away from your building.
• Deny burglars a place to hide by keeping grass and shrubs trimmed and debris cleared away from your property.
• Alarms, trained guard dogs and regular security patrols will also help to secure property that must be stored outside.
LIGHTING:
At night, properly placed lighting will deter burglars. Burglars prefer darkness. Maintain interior lighting at a level that allows clear visibility into buildings to allow for law enforcement and civilian surveillance. Remember the following:
• Illuminate your entire property from dusk to dawn to eliminate the dark areas intruders and criminals prefer.
• Install floodlights for alleyways, rear and front entrances and parking lots.
• Lighting should illuminate the roof of your building.
• Use lighting fixtures with a photoelectric cell or timer to ensure that lighting will be on when you need it.
• Locate light fixtures at the best height and location to maximize illumination, avoid blind spots and reduce shadows that provide hiding places for burglars.
• Inspect your lights regularly. Replace burned-out or broken lights immediately.
WINDOWS:
Other than entry doors, the second most common way for a criminal to enter a business is through windows. Remember the following:
• Sliding glass windows and single or double-hung sash windows should have locking pins, bolts, locks or swing latches installed to prevent opening from the building's exterior.
• Secure all windows. First floor windows should be protected with burglar resistant glass.
• To provide optimum window security install bars, grilles, grates or heavy-duty wire screening.
• Skylights, ventilation openings, air conditioning/heating ducts and crawl holes are all potential entry points for burglars. Permanently secure these openings by installing metal grilles or grates. If these openings cannot be permanently secured, be sure they are protected by an alarm system.
PADLOCKS:
The most common assaults on padlocks are made with bolt-cutters and pry bars. Quality padlocks should have the following:
• Laminated or extruded cases.
• Hardened steel shackle with a minimum diameter of 9/32 of an inch.
• A double locking bolt providing "heel and toe" locking.
• At least 5-pin tumblers in the cylinder.
• A key-retaining feature that prevents removal of the key until the padlock is locked.
• The chain or hasp you use with the padlock should also be of high-quality hardened steel.
SAFES:
When a safe is used for your business, use a "money" safe for currency and a "records" safe for documents. Be sure that the resistance of the "money" safe is compatible with the needs of your business. Remember the following:
• Anchor your safe firmly to the floor.
• Limit the number of persons having access to keys and combinations. Change locks and combinations when principal employees are discharged or leave your employment.
SECURITY ROOM:
The interior of your building is your third line of defense. Your business should have a security room. The size of the room is dependent upon your specific needs. Remember the following:
• The security room should be void of windows.
• The solid door should open out and have a minimum one-inch dead bolt.
• Door buzzers and alarms are recommended.
• The number of personnel having access should be strictly limited.
DON'T FORGET THE OBVIOUS:
All these hints can help prevent burglaries, but common sense precautions must also be used. For instance, having all the windows barred will be useless if a transom is left open or an employee is careless with his or her keys. Be safe!
