IT’S WELL KNOWN that burglary rates rise at this time of year. Burglars usually try to avoid confrontation, so while residential properties tend to be targeted during the day when owners are out at work, it’s the night when retail premises are most at risk.
Good retail security is all about building in layers. The perimeter is the first line of defence, so any gates need to be chained shut and doors secured with the best quality locks you can afford. Any outbuildings should be secured with a strong padlock, hasp and staple, while it’s also worth thinking about a padlock with chain/cable and ground anchor for larger items kept outdoors.
Any retailer knows CCTV is a good visual deterrent, and modern systems such as BurgCam Wifi offer remote monitoring and event alerts on a mobile phone or PC. Similarly, Smart wireless alarm systems such as BurgProtect will alert you in the event of a burglary, fire or flood via a dedicated app on your phone. Another Smart system worth considering is an access control solution such as secuEntry, which offers keypad/phone/keyfob/finger-print entry and allows access to be logged and/or time-restricted.
Better safe than sorry
Safes should be at the heart of any retailer’s security provision, protecting cash, valuables, important documents, high-value goods and even pharmaceuticals. At the outset it’s important to establish what you are going to put in the safe, what you are seeking to protect against, where it’s going to be kept and how frequently you need to access it.
Burg-Wachter is Europe’s largest manufacturer of safes and has been producing high-quality security solutions for over 100 years. Cheaper safes tend to be little more than glorified cash boxes, while “proper” safes come in a wide choice of sizes and locking mechanisms, plus have a selected range of ratings which can be broadly split into monetary insurance values and fire resistance.
It doesn’t always follow that a safe with a high insurance cash rating will also have a high fire resistance rating, as these ratings are based on different criteria. It’s important, therefore, to check your insurance policy for the required ratings and look out for the “AiS Approved” logo. Crucially, the safe must be properly installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions for insurers to recognise the ratings in the event of a claim.
Finally, the increase in popularity and affordability of simple to install and use “Smart” security solutions means that selling video surveillance and wireless alarm systems is a growing market opportunity for many retailers.
Nationwide technical and sales support and customised training is available from Burg-Wächter UK’s dedicated support team. Contact them on 01274 395333 and via uksales@burg.biz . See the entire world of Burg-Wachter on burg.biz/uk.
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