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What crime prevention methods can I use to help prevent my business windows from being smashed and my business broken into?

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”grey” align=”align_center” style=”” border_width=”” el_width=””][vc_wp_text]We get this question often, which is a testament to how much this actually happens and how in demand crime prevention methods are.

If your business is being frequently broken into, then it’s obvious things need to change. There are some crime prevention options you can do that will  cost relatively low and others that will cost relatively high (depending on your budget).

These are all crime prevention options we suggest from over 30 years experience in the security industry. We cannot guarantee that your business will stop getting broken into 100%, but it will sure decrease the chances of it happening again by a dramatic margin.

Crime prevention is the best protection.

We will try to highlight a few options in each money category so that we cover a broad range of options for your wallet.[/vc_wp_text][vc_custom_heading text=”Let’s start with why your business windows are being targeted.” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Abril%20Fatface%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_empty_space height=”32px”][vc_wp_text]Some business owner’s have the thinking that because their business is on a busy street, it is widely visible and won’t be broken into. This is FALSE. It takes criminals less than 30 seconds to smash your windows, go in, grab a few things and get out.

Most of the time, criminals are smashing your windows because they see things they want in a 30 second quick grab and go time frame. Sheltering all your products from plain view is not a realistic or economic option. Businesses display products in their windows to attract customers. The downside is, you are also attracting criminals.

You may have a flashy 3×3 security alarm sticker in your window, but chances are criminals will not be deterred by it and be long gone by the time your security company or the police arrive. The sound of a blaring alarm can be as useful as elevator music to the quickest of criminals.

Is all hope lost? What crime prevention methods can be done to protect my business windows?

Before you lose your mind, let us give you some tips to help protect, and more important, prevent more break-ins and broken glass.[/vc_wp_text][vc_separator color=”grey” align=”align_center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Crime Prevention: Low Budget” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Abril%20Fatface%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_empty_space height=”32px”][vc_custom_heading text=”

Don’t Make Your Business an Easy Target
” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Abril%20Fatface%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_empty_space height=”32px”][vc_custom_heading text=”Free Parking After-Hours” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Abril%20Fatface%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_empty_space height=”32px”][vc_wp_text]

We highly advise not to neglect your parking lot during after-hours. This warrants anyone to park in your lot and near your business while no one is there, which can lead to unwanted activity.

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During our years in security, we have seen a number of different things people have done with empty parking lots.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=”” container=””][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”657″ border_color=”grey” img_link_large=”” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”full”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]This includes:

• Break-ins
• Drinking
• Vandalism
• Trash dumping
• Living in their vehicle
• Leaving stolen vehicles
• Abandoning Vehicles
• Cause work crews to delay work due to obstructions

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The crime prevention fix? Use chains to open and close the parking lot after hours. This can be done by your security company, cleaning company (if they are there nightly), or whoever the last person is to leave each night.

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”grey” align=”align_center” style=”” border_width=”” el_width=””][vc_custom_heading text=”Second Level Shopping Plazas” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Abril%20Fatface%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_empty_space height=”32px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=”” container=””][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”638″ border_color=”grey” img_link_large=”” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”full”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]If your business is located on the second level of a shopping plaza, make sure all doors and elevators leading to the second level are locked and secured after hours.

I cannot tell you how many doors we find that have the locking mechanisms not working properly.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=”” container=””][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”662″ border_color=”grey” img_link_large=”” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”full”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Check that no one has stuffed a piece of paper into the locking slot of the door or taped the door lock to remain ‘inside’ the door so that it doesn’t click shut.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=”” container=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Criminals will usually do this during the day when the plaza is open and come back later after hours when it’s dark and no one is there.

If you have security for the plaza, ask them to check this nightly.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”grey” align=”align_center” style=”” border_width=”” el_width=””][vc_custom_heading text=”Crime Prevention: Medium Budget” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Abril%20Fatface%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_empty_space height=”32px”][vc_custom_heading text=”Heighten Awareness Of Security” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Abril%20Fatface%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_empty_space height=”32px”][vc_custom_heading text=”Hire A Security Company” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Abril%20Fatface%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_empty_space height=”32px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=”” container=””][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”636″ border_color=”grey” img_link_large=”” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”full”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Cameras and alarms are good security measures, however, the most effective security move you can make is to hire a security company. We will write a blog that dives into this on a more detail level and link it here.

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24/7 on-site guards can be pricey. Hiring a patrol company to swing by 1-3 times a night has proven to be effective to raise awareness of security on your property and fits within the medium crime prevention budget category (depending on property size).

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Tip: Ask them to make sure to utilize emergency lights and vehicle patrol lights while on your property!

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”grey” align=”align_center” style=”” border_width=”” el_width=””][vc_custom_heading text=”Hire A Cleaning Service Company” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Abril%20Fatface%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_empty_space height=”32px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=”” container=””][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”656″ border_color=”grey” img_link_large=”” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”full”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text css_animation=””]

A clean environment has gone to show that it is also a safer environment (in most cases).

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=”” container=””][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”655″ border_color=”grey” img_link_large=”” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”full”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Criminals are far less likely to break-in to your business if they see that there are people working inside and around the building.

This is one of the underestimated crime prevention methods.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=”” container=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]

Hire a cleaning company to come by a few times a week to do general cleaning maintenance on your property. Cleaning companies usually work after-hours and gives a sense of presence to your property.

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”grey” align=”align_center” style=”” border_width=”” el_width=””][vc_custom_heading text=”Crime Prevention: High Budget” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Abril%20Fatface%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_empty_space height=”32px”][vc_custom_heading text=”The Most Effective Steps” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Abril%20Fatface%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_empty_space height=”32px”][vc_custom_heading text=”Install Storefront Security Gates and Grills” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Abril%20Fatface%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_empty_space height=”32px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=”” container=””][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”639″ border_color=”grey” img_link_large=”” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”full”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

This is the best crime prevention solution on this list for protecting and preventing business window break-ins.

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Depending on your property the price can range up to a few thousand dollars. They are a good and safe investment to have given that a break-in could potentially cost you about the same or in some cases, more.

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[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”grey” align=”align_center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Keep The Lights On” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Abril%20Fatface%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_empty_space height=”32px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=”” container=””][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image border_color=”grey” img_link_large=”” img_link_target=”_self” image=”658″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

We listed this on the high budget section because it is very dependent on your property. Obviously, larger properties will have a higher electricity bill if they choose to utilize this crime prevention method.

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If you don’t have the budget to keep all the lights on try to do half the lights or some of them. A property that is dark and looks dead is at a higher risk of break-ins than a property that is well lit.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=”” container=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]This method is effective for a couple of reasons.

For one, it makes your property stand out. People driving by tend to overlook properties that are dark and hard to see into. If your property has lights and is lit up, you have more of a chance that someone at a red light or passing by might gaze over to see what type of products or service your business provides and in turn, might call the police if they happen to see unusual behavior.

Two, it makes your property seem like it is still in working hours and people are still there. This will discourage criminals from trying to break-in similar to the ‘cleaning company’ concept.[/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading text=”Conclusion” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Abril%20Fatface%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_empty_space height=”32px”][vc_column_text]There are all kinds of different ways you can go about protecting your business property from having a window break-in. These are some crime prevention methods we believe can help deter crime from our over 30 years experience in the security field. Some options are more valuable than others. It is important to weigh different options and be conscious of your budget while making these decisions.

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