It’s the most wonderful time of the year…
…but it’s also a potentially dangerous time of year with opportunistic criminals looking to take advantage.
Statistics provided by UKCrimeStats show that each year around December and leading into January the total crime rates reach their peak.
Criminals know that many commercial premises including offices, retail outlets, warehouses and many others will be empty from 24th until 27th December, and some right up until 2nd January.
With this in mind, we have prepared some Christmas Security Tips to keep your business safe over the Christmas period.
1. Establish a lock up procedure
A little bit of planning and communication before the busy season will help ensure security while your premises are empty. If you have Remote Monitoring then please let us know your closing times.
2. Avoid lone workers
Even in the busiest offices, there is often one person left to lock up for the Christmas holidays. This person will be vulnerable to criminals in waiting, or to missing security procedures in the rushed atmosphere of the festivities.
ConnectMe, our Lone Worker Solution, ensures your people are protected. Or use a Keyholding Service which can secure your building with an open and lock service.
3. Be aware of everyone entering and exiting your premises
Christmas is a busy time for deliveries and having extra delivery people accessing your business is not unusual. Installing an Access Control System can alleviate this threat, keeping your staff and assets safe.
4. Confirm keyholder contact details are up-to-date
Confirm Keyholder details as well as confirming who will be available over the holiday period. Don’t just assume people will have their phones on and be contactable – ensure everyone involved is clear on when they are expected to be contactable.
5. Keep perimeter well-lit with appropriate lighting
Keep your building well lit with floodlights, in place to deter unauthorised activity and ensure clear visuals of would-be intruders. This makes it difficult for criminals to stake out your premises and should lead to recognisable images for the authorities to use.
6. Display signage in an obvious place
If you have an Intruder Alarm and/or CCTV system active on your site, ensure you have clear signage highlighting this fact. This will act as a great deterrent to intruders.
7. Ensure all electrical appliances are in safe mode
With your premises closed, and little or no staff attending, there is always a fear of fire or flood damage. Make sure that all electrical devices are in safe mode and it’s a good idea to keep the heat coming on for a few hours each day to avoid pipes becoming damaged.
In addition to our Christmas Security Tips, we have put together some Christmas Fire Safety Tips to keep your business safe over the festive period.