450 – that is the number of false alarms in Squamish, British Columbia in 2018 alone. In fact, 94 to 98 percent of all alarm activations are false and, with each of these false alarms, resources are wasted and avoidable pressure is put on the responding authorities whose time could have been better spent on real crimes and community outreach.

Had the alarm been verified before the necessary teams were dispatched, this wasted time and money would have been saved.

That's why an increasing number of jurisdictions are moving towards false alarm penalties as a means of incentivizing business owners to upgrade their security systems.

Of all the buildings in Canada that we would think are least susceptible to crime, government-owned properties are probably top of mind.

But the fact is, government-owned buildings are designed for a number of purposes and many offer services that are readily available to the public - such as town halls, community centres, courthouses, landmarks and libraries.

As a result, these buildings are easily accessible by the general public and can be highly susceptible to criminal activity including theft, vandalism, arson and break and enters.

Some industries and businesses are more susceptible to crime than others. This is especially true for organizations that store high-value products in their inventory, as well as equipment or information.

But, did you know that there are things that you may be doing that make your building more attractive to criminals than other companies?

Retail sales are set to boom as we move into the festive holiday season, but are you protecting your profits with a robust retail store security solution? Unfortunately, many retail store owners are not.

That’s why shoplifting accounts for up to $5 billion a year in losses for Canadian retailers, according to a 2018 estimate from the Retail Council of Canada.

If a crime is in progress at your place of business, you need to make sure it’s a real threat before you contact the emergency services. Unfortunately, with conventional alarm systems, you are unable to verify what is causing your alarm to go off.

This puts you in an awkward position. You can either wait until the morning and hope that it was a false alarm, you can return to the office to ensure your property was locked up and there’s no criminal inside (but this is highly dangerous) or you can call the emergency services.

When a crime occurs at a school - whether it is while class is in session or after hours - it is disruptive and dangerous for everyone. Safety at schools is a top priority for parents, teachers, community members and local authorities.

That is why public, private, and post-secondary schools across Western Canada need verified security systems to reduce false alarms, increase police response times and protect educational institutions from criminals - whether they are teenagers looking to create mischief or professionals looking to benefit from the sale of stolen property.

Managed access control systems (also called keyless entry) can be a valuable way to keep business assets safe and protect your employees from crime, but only when they are used to their potential.

Unfortunately, many companies do not maximize the effectiveness of their access control systems and the features they have to offer. To better ensure you are getting the most out of your investment here are four tips that will help you use your managed access control system.

Due to the availability of over-the-counter prescription drugs - such as codeine, oxycodone, hydromorphone and morphine - pharmacies are at incredibly high risk of falling victim to theft.

In fact, pharmacies are at particular risk of employee theft. For example, as reported by CBC News, a pharmacist in Okotoks, Alberta, was convicted earlier this year for stealing more than 33,000 narcotics pills from Safeway pharmacy. She has now been stripped of her practice permit by professional licensing.

The restaurant industry is becoming increasingly competitive, particularly with disruptors, such as SkipTheDishes, changing the way consumers engage with the food service industry.

As a result, both chain and independent restaurants have struggled over the past few years - with many restaurant businesses closing down. To stay competitive, loss prevention is crucial.

Two of the most common crimes that affect construction sites are theft and vandalism.

This is often due to lack of security which leaves machines, equipment, tools, materials and the building which is being constructed unguarded in an environment that is perfect for camouflaging criminals – dark and unoccupied.

With Thanksgiving weekend behind us, it is back to business as usual as we get ever-closer to the hustle and bustle of December. Before it gets too busy, this is the perfect time to review your company’s office security.

In fact, now is the time of year to determine whether there are any vulnerabilities you need to be aware of during the holiday season when employees are away and you have closed up shop for some well-deserved time with friends and family.

Car theft is becoming increasingly common across Western Canada and is even being linked in recent years to organized crime. It’s not just individuals that are being targeted either, automotive dealerships are falling victim to car theft.

Are you worried about the possibility of a dealership breach? Then it’s time you take the right precautions to keep your staff safe, ensure the data in your office is protected and prevent your high-value assets from being stolen.

Do you own a fenced compound? Then you’ll know just how hard it can be to protect a compound from the threat of criminals. That’s because fenced compounds often contain valuable stock, equipment, building materials and vehicles, making them an attractive proposition to criminals.

It’s likely that by now you’ll have realized that the combination of a fence, conventional CCTV and a security guard simple isn’t enough from either deterring or preventing criminals from entering your compound.

In just a few weeks, we will be getting into the swing of the holiday season. Upcoming events include Thanksgiving, Diwali, Halloween, Singles’ Day, Black Friday, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and each of these will involve some combination of family meals, décor, gift exchanging and dressing to the nines.

As a retailer, this means more business and increased cash flow. However, it also means an increased risk for retail theft and other criminal acts - both internally and externally.

Unlike conventional alarm systems, a verified audio and video surveillance system includes full-time monitoring by a security professional. If an alarm is triggered, the security company can quickly tell if it is a false alarm or if there is someone getting too close to your building.

This results in a number of benefits that your company simply cannot get from conventional alarm systems.

Whether you are an entrepreneur in the retail industry or a freight shipping company operating out of Western Canada, you’ll know just how important warehouse space and distribution centres are for the success of your business.

Your organization’s warehouse or distribution centre will be full of highly valuable stock, and for some people, this presents an opportunity in which they just can’t help themselves from committing a crime.

Earlier this year in one of our blogs, titled ‘Alberta Leads Nation in Marijuana Stores: Here’s how to Protect Your Shop From Thieves’, we covered research from Statistics Canada which found Alberta to be the leading province in Canada for both the number of cannabis stores and cannabis retail sales.

It was found that there were 75 legal retail cannabis stores in the province, which had sold a combined $33 million worth of legal marijuana since October 17, 2018 - when marijuana was first legalized.

Financial institutions provide a place for the public to store their hard-earned money. Clients and regulatory bodies expect that money to be protected and kept secure at all costs.

But, as a financial institution, you are also subject to many forms of breach, from cyberattacks targeting data, files and online funds, to theft of physical property, including cash, equipment and more.

Do you own a retail business in Alberta? If so, you’ll probably know just how important it is to implement a security plan that properly protects your assets, your employees and your livelihood from theft.

This is even more important after new figures from Statistics Canada found a surge in shoplifting in Calgary - part of a growing trend across Alberta and Canada as a whole. In fact, shoplifting was largely responsible for Calgary’s growing crime rate last year.

Education facilities are meant to be a safe place for learning, but ongoing security concerns can distract from this purpose. Public schools, colleges, universities and private institutes, they are all exposed to vandalism, arson, theft and break-ins.

The reasons for criminals to target educational facilities can vary from making a political statement, an expression of anger, to wanting to cancel school or getting revenge on a staff member or peer.