The Business User's Guide to Crime Prevention Surveys.

This section gives you all the information you need to conduct a risk assessment of your business premises. Just how vulnerable are you? When will a burglar strike? How will he get in? What will he steal?

For you, this is the most important section of the site. Please take time to browse and then check your premises! 

	CONTENTS
	Part One - Know the Risk
	Part Two - Outside
	Part Three - The Shell of Your Building
	Part Four - Internal Security

Part One - Know the Risk WHO?: The main criminal threat to your business comes from the opportunist burglar. Don't make the mistake of believing that "Opportunist" = "Amateur". These burglars can be very experienced and adept at avoiding detection or capture. As the name suggests, they look for opportunities to burgle and if there are none, they will usually move on to a less aware target. They are therefore, very easily put off. However, companies can also be specifically targeted, depending on their line of business. High risk businesses are: 1. Computer related manufacturing/development/sales. - 2. Premises where high levels of copper/aluminium and other valuable metals are stored - 3. Small manufacturing companies where good quality cordless power tools are used -  4. Retail outlets selling tobacco/alcohol/mobile phones/electrical goods. -  5. Pharmacists  WHEN?: Most commercial burglaries occur during the night, when the premises are unoccupied. During the day your risk is mainly from shoplifters and "Walk-in" thieves targeting office staff. (Handbags/cash etc) Click here to find out how to deter "walk-in" thieves HOW?: Burglars tend to prefer premises that are unalarmed and have easy access to the side or rear. Many pre-fabricated units are easy to break into. The security supplied on doors and windows is often woefully inadequate and metal wall panels are usually bolted, not welded, to the building frame. (Tin opener anybody?) Whilst they avoid breaking windows when burgling dwellings, thieves aren't quite so worried about commercial premises; there's less chance of being heard. Once inside, the target area will vary depending on the type of business. Offices will be subjected to an untidy search, vending machines might be broken into, tools left lying around on the factory floor may be stolen. A FACT OF LIFE! This guide cannot guarantee that you will not be a victim of crime. However, there are steps that you can take to deter burglars and minimize the risk. One of the most important weapons in your arsenal is TIME! If you buy yourself some time, it will take the burglar longer to break in. The longer it takes, the more chance there is that he will give up   Part Two - The Outside of Your Premises 1. Check Natural Surveillance:  The view of your premises from the road and  neighbouring businesses is vitally important. Is the view obscured by vegetation or equipment? Cut down or trim trees, shrubs and undergrowth to open up the view. Avoid letting plants grow taller that 4ft. This will  DEPRIVE THE BURGLAR OF COVER!  2. Fencing: Check for holes in your existing fencing and repair tham if possible. Chain link is useless for security. It defines your boundary - It's useful for displaying "Keep Out" notices - but that's about it! Steel paling fencing is better, but expensive (At least £50 per metre installed). See the section on fencing for more information. 3. Gates: You must ensure that the design does not allow for easy climbing. Vertical bars are good but watch for the structure around the padlock fixing. This will often provide an easy foothold. An external mesh overlay is useful as it prevents any footholds. Consider fixing a spiky topping to the fence and gate. Older buildings are often converted for use by small firms. Make security an integral part of the conversion. 4. Lighting: If there are any residential properties overlooking your premises, consider leaving external security lighting on all night. The first thing an intruder is likely to do is to disable the lights. Ask the residents to call the police if they notice that the lights are not lit at night. 5. Planting: If you can put flowerbeds beneath ground floor windows, plant some prickly shrubs below them. See the section on Defensive Planting for more information. 6. Materials: Stockpiles of raw materials stored outside should be within a secure compound with separate lighting. 7. Rubbish: Do not store rubbish, bins, barrels, crates, racks etc against the fence. It gives easy climbing access/exit. Also never, never, never, leave out cartons that contained new office equipment or computers. What a giveaway to the burglar! Crush, fold and if possible, burn them!     SECTION CONTENTS Part Three - The Shell of Your Premises 1. Examine the condition of all external doors and roller shutters. Include the door frames in your checks. If they are rotten, warped or corroded, replace them! Roller shutters often take quite a hammering and become dented and ill-fitting. They are an expensive item so encourage staff to treat them with respect. Most roller shutters won't withstand a ram raid. Consider installing  removable anti-ram posts.  placed inside or outside. they are effective, but if installed outside, they will provide a visual deterrent too. Fit 5 or 7 lever mortise locks. to all doors. Only buy products that display the British Standards kite mark. This will ensure that they have been security tested and fully comply with BS3621. 2. Fire doors are a common point of entry.  Fit locks, as above, but strictly comply with Fire Regs by ensuring that they are unlocked whenever the building is occupied. You should also fix 3mm steel plate inside to shield the push bars from external attack. Fire doors have to open outwards, by law. This means that the hinges are external and therefore exposed and vulnerable to attack. Ensure that the doors are fitted with strong hinge bolts. This applies to ALL outward opening doors.     SECTION CONTENTS Part Four - Internal Security 1. Reception Security: Your main daytime threat is from "walk-in" thieves who target reception areas, rest rooms, locker rooms and offices. Your reception should be permanently staffed, preferably with CCTV surveillance. The reception should be a sterile area with access to the rest of the building controlled by keypad or proximity reader. The area should be welcoming for legitimate visitors but should tell the criminal, "You're getting no further" This reception area is not staffed and there is unrestricted access to the rest of the building. Reception staff should be instructed to ensure that their personal property should be locked in a desk drawer at all times. It's all to easy to leave it out in the heat of the moment, when showing a visitor to another office for example. All visitors should be logged in and out and should be issued with a badge. Staff within the building should be instructed to speak to anyone not wearing one. Casual callers, looking for work, should be treated courteously but with a degree of suspicion. Reception staff should be kept up to date about available vacancies and given a supply of application forms to hand out. This will avoid the need to make phone calls or leave the area unattended. All staff should be advised to leave valuable items at home. 2. Equipment All office equipment and portable tools should be visibly marked with your company name and postcode. Clamp down computers or fit into secure housings. Petty cash should be kept in a safe. Please note that safes are rated for insurance purposes and limit the amount of money you can keep in them. Ensure that you know how much your safe can hold. On the factory floor, portable tools should be locked into steel bins, secured to the floor, or if possible removed from the premises. If workers use their own tools, they should visibly mark them with their home postcode and house number (and take them home each day if possible). 3. Alarms Consider installing an alarm with central station monitoring. If you have high value items on the premises, consider adding REDCARE to the system. This is a BT service that provides some extra security against tampering with the alarm's communication system. There is an additional annual charge for this. Only use a police compliant alarm installer. Speak to your local police Crime Prevention Officer for guidance. We hope you found this guide useful. Please contact us if you require further help with your security.   SECTION CONTENTS