How to Reduce the Threat of Business Theft

Raiding commercial premises can be a very attractive option for criminals. The potential gains can often be much greater than from most residential properties, there’s unlikely to be anyone on the site out of business hours and any noises made in the process are less likely to attract the attention of neighbours.

As an example of the prevalence of crime against commercial premises, according to government figures released in 2019, in 2018 there were:

• 27,358 crimes per 1,000 premises in the wholesale and retail sector
• 4,998 crimes per 1,000 premises in the accommodation and food sector
• 2,755 crimes per 1,000 premises in the arts, entertainment and recreation sector
• 2,575 crimes per 1,000 premises in the transportation and storage sector 
• 1,504 crimes per 1,000 premises in the administration and support sector
• 1,148 crimes per 1,000 premises in the manufacturing sector
• 910 crimes per 1,000 premises in the construction sector

The conclusion is obvious: you need to protect your premises and assets because otherwise thieves and criminals will target you.

The impact of crime on a business

Crime can have a number of serious consequences for a business, and not just due to the financial losses that might result from the theft of stock and equipment or damage to property. Those losses might be covered by insurance, but you’ll almost certainly end up paying higher premiums if you become a victim.

Potentially far more damaging in the long term could be a loss of confidence from customers in your ability to meet deadlines, fulfil orders or generally carry out your business in an efficient way. They may be sympathetic in principle, but if it affects their own businesses or interests, that sympathy is going to be of little use to you when they take their business elsewhere.

How to reduce the threat of business theft

There are a number of things you can do that can have a significant positive impact:

Secure your premises. Clearly, you want to make it as hard as possible for a criminal to break into your premises. That means stronger locks on doors, windows and gates – in fact, anywhere that represents a tempting entry point. Security shutters and grilles are also a sensible option, although you may need planning permission for these.

Have a risk assessment. Fire risk assessments are a mandatory requirement, but having an expert assess your premises from a security point-of-view is also highly recommended. A professional will be able to identify your most vulnerable points and recommend or design a security system that deals with your specific weak points. At Scutum London, our security experts have years of experience making commercial premises across a wide range of sectors as secure as it is possible to get.

Install effective security systems. There are many great security solutions on the market today, using the latest technology to put you in control of who’s entering your premises, who has access to key parts of your building, detecting unauthorised access and ensuring that the police will respond should an incident occur. Among the most popular solutions we are able to offer our customers are:

• CCTV – including ANPR, facial recognition and thermal cameras
• Intruder alarms – including wireless, motion detection and perimeter options
• Access Control – including keypad, keyfob, swipe card and video entry systems
• Alarm monitoring – using an alarm receiving centre to monitor your premises provides greater security and an increased likelihood that police will respond to your alarm

Don’t become complacent. Once you’ve put sensible precautions and protection in place, you must never consider that it’s all done and you don’t need to think about it again. Regular maintenance for all your automatic and electronic systems is a must – otherwise, how are you going to know if they’re working properly or not? – while regular assessments are also a good idea, especially if you make some kind of change to your premises or its layout.

Scutum London is a leading security specialist protecting commercial premises in and around London, Surrey and the rest of the South East. When it comes to ensuring you stay free from the risk of crime, our experienced team can provide years of knowledge and expertise, state-of-the-art security systems and superb after sales and maintenance services.

Contact us now to find out more.