Criminals love Christmas too.
Christmas is a hectic period for most industries. With many workplaces and commercial buildings preparing to shut-down for the festive season, it always proves to be a particularly busy time for burglars.
Workplace equipment supplier Slingsby have told us that they always experience a surge of orders around Christmas time from workplaces that have already fallen victim to crime during the festive season.
Lee Wright, Marketing Director at Slingsby, says:
“It’s well publicised that homes often provide rich-pickings for burglars in the run-up to Christmas. However, commercial properties are often equally vulnerable. Dedicated criminals don’t stop for Christmas and life is often much easier for them at this time of year because many commercial areas and industrial estates lie deserted so after they carry out a burglary it can often be several days before anyone notices.
“Most burglars are essentially opportunists and home in on the weakest link in a property’s security. For this reason, it’s important to make life difficult for a would-be burglar and be proactive to deter them from targeting your premises. It may even warrant appointing someone within the team who can be responsible for ensuring the premises are as secure as possible during the shut-down period.”
Slingsby has compiled a checklist of 10 tips to help workplaces stay crime-free over the holiday season:-
- Having signage in place that highlights security measures can be effective in deterring criminals.
- Approximately 30% of burglars take advantage of insecure windows so installing dead-bolts and checking window hinges and handles are secure can greatly enhance security.
- Ensure that all external lighting is working and that it is programmed to come on every night.
- Think about who will look after cash, vehicle keys and other valuables or where they can be securely stored.
- All computer systems should be backed-up and a copy of the data should be stored off the premises.
- Remove anything outside the premises that might help a criminal to break in.
- Make a list of everyone who will need access to the premises over the Christmas period and provide them with emergency phone numbers in case there is a problem.
- Alarms that link directly to the police or a security company are a good deterrent but it’s important to identify who will respond to them over the Christmas period and if any incidents occur, who will deal with them.
- If you use external security companies find out what checks they will carry out while your premises are closed.
- Decide who will carry out a thorough check of the premises on the last day to make sure all windows and doors are secure.
Charles Staples is an editorial assistant at HRreview.
