San Mateo Police Give Advice On Preventing Business Burglary

Posted on September 19, 2013

Yesterday, we related some important information about how homeowners can protect their residences from harm in the form of burglary.  But it’s not just living spaces that need attention.  It’s also important that business owners do what they can to protect their space from harm.

The Police Department of San Mateo, California, concerned about a string of burglaries affecting local businesses, is explaining the ways that business owners big and small can keep their livelihoods protected from burglary.  If you own a business anywhere in California, the information is certainly worth paying attention to.

One thing you should understand is that burglars, if they’re not being choosy or targeting you specifically, don’t want to work hard.  If up against heavy-duty locks and alarm systems that can’t easily be tampered with, chances are they’re going to ply their trade elsewhere.

Therefore, don’t give a criminal an easy route into your business.  It’s one thing to be trustworthy, but it’s quite another to overlook someone’s ill intentions.  Safety can start with something as simple as locking the doors to the business at all times that you’re not open.  That will likely mean investing in a deadbolt that can stand up to the most intense pressure a burglar could throw at it.  Double cylinder units are likely your best choice, and the one you choose should have a latch guard encasing the steel insert.  The stronger the deadbolt, the more your mind can be set at ease.

Of course, the deadbolt isn’t going to help matters if the door itself is weaker than the lock.  Make sure you have a door that’s at the very least lined with metal.  Use crossbars to further make it difficult to gain access.  You also need to see to it that the hinges are in solid repair and that the jamb is capable of withstanding pressure.

There’s a reason that many businesses turn their lights on when locked up for the day.  Doing so not only makes a burglar think twice about someone being inside, but it illuminates an intruder as well.  Make sure to also light the immediate exterior of the business.  To further make it easier to see someone’s potential goings-on through the windows, move items that could block an outside view while keeping anything expensive-looking out of sight and in a back room.  You can place the cash register within view so long as it’s empty and the contents are kept someplace safe.

Finally, invest in a security system from a reputable source.  Place signs up letting others know that you have a system available, and make sure it’s activated before you leave for the day.

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