If your business is vulnerable to break-ins, theft, vandalism, fire or other threats, security should be top of mind. Unprotected or poorly protected businesses are at high risk, and business owners need an integrated, high-quality security system like Sonitrol's to effectively ward off criminals and protect their assets.

Security systems aside for the moment, there are other things that you can do to make your building less welcoming to intruders and criminals. By making it clear to the criminals that your business, whether it's an office, store or warehouse, is not an easy target, you can further deter them.

1. With 10% of all forced entries, the telephone lines are cut prior to entry. This makes it more difficult for people to contact authorities. It's important that you determine where your telephone lines enter your building and if you have any exposed telephone lines, take steps to secure them.

2. Make sure your address can easily be seen from the street, day and night. Police and fire services are dispatched to your address, not to the name of your company, so make sure they can easily find you by having a clearly visible address on the exterior.

3. It's also a good idea to place “No Trespassing” or “No Loitering” signs around your building. While they may do little to deter adamant criminals, these signs give the police probable cause to question individuals that are on the grounds of your facility.

4. Trees and shrubs give criminals cover and make it easier for people to break in through windows. Properly maintained, trees, shrubs, and other landscape features can mitigate these risk. Make sure that shrubs, especially in front of windows, are not higher than 42 inches.

Also, make entry through the roof more difficult by trimming trees next to your building back 7 feet. 25% of all forced entry is NOT through a door or window so you want to do whatever you can to make all entry points unattractive.

5. In most situations, good lighting helps reduce crime. Light up the area around your building at night. It will deter criminals and allow passersby to easily spot suspicious activity. Keep in mind, however, that there are some situations in which light can be a disadvantage. In the case of a construction site, the darker it is, the harder it is for criminals to navigate the site, giving officers more time to respond.

6. Eliminate keys and replace them with an electronic door locking system that can be programmed to allow authorized individuals entry to specific doors, during specified hours. This eliminates the need to rekey doors and allows for quicker and simpler response if a key card is lost.

You could also consider adding a managed access system to rooms with important and valuable contents, such as a stock room, or server room. We recommend using a managed access system that is integrated into your wider security system for maximum impact.

Sonitrol is the leader in verified commercial security systems. Our security specialists will inspect your business facilities and recommend an integrated system that will protect your buildings, assets, and employees.

About Sonitrol Western Canada

We're so confident in our technology and responsive service, that no one else in the industry can match our guarantee.  Our unique verified audio and CCTV video business security solutions enable our operators to hear and see what is happening in your business before the criminals gain entry!!  We verify the actual source of the alarm, and we get the police to attend the scene immediately. We are a security company with over 150 offices across North America serving clients across Western Canada, including British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Victoria, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon.  

Sonitrol Western Canada, with its Verified Electronic Security Systems, is committed to providing customers with the most comprehensive security protection.  Cooperation in the elimination of false alarms is not only beneficial to the system’s user but results in better protection of the entire community by allowing law enforcement to use their resources as efficiently as possible.