Protecting your commercial parking facility goes beyond just safeguarding vehicles; it's about ensuring the safety and peace of mind of everyone who uses it. Closed parking lots are prime targets for theft, vandalism, and other criminal activities, posing a significant risk to car owners and their passengers.

Protecting your facility from crime involves not only interior alarms and surveillance but also monitored surveillance systems covering the outside of building and parking areas. Criminals are increasingly targeting these exterior spaces, seeking vulnerable entry points to exploit.

In response to the growing concerns of property / commercial crime affecting businesses in both rural and urban areas across the province, the BC Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development, and Innovation has introduced the Securing Small Business Rebate Program. This BC government program allocates $10.5 million to help small businesses in covering costs related to property damage caused by vandalism, and costs associated with implementing preventive security measures.

It reads like a screen script for a Hollywood blockbuster. Thieves broke into a Gardaworld building in a quiet subdivision in Los Angeles and stole upwards of $30 million dollars and as of yet - no arrests made by the FBI or LAPD. The vault theft of cash wasn’t even discovered until employees turned up for work after the Easter weekend on Monday.

In today's higher risk business environment, safeguarding assets and ensuring operational continuity are key concerns for many management teams. Traditional alarm systems, while providing a degree of protection, often fall short in effectively addressing evolving security challenges. Fortunately, advancements in technology have given rise to innovative solutions like Sonitrol's Verified Audio Intrusion Detection Systems, offering businesses unparalleled levels of security and peace of mind.

Your warehouses and distribution centers stand at the core of your business operations, housing valuable products in one central location. Yet, these facilities are also prime targets for both cargo theft and storeroom burglary.

 “CargoNet, which tracks voluntarily reported cargo thefts, said there were 566 incidents in the U.S. and 16 in Canada in the second quarter last year, a 57% year-over-year increase. The majority of cargo thefts in the second quarter of 2023 occurred near warehouses and distribution centers, along with unsecured parking lots and company truck yards and premises, according to both Overhaul and CargoNet.”

Traditional security measures, while effective to a degree, often fall short in providing comprehensive protection. From vulnerable entry points to internal theft by employees, safeguarding your warehouse and parking area requires a multifaceted approach.

Commercial retailers across British Columbia have grappled with a surge in criminal activities, ranging from theft and vandalism to break-ins and shoplifting. A poll conducted in the region revealed that nearly half of the businesses have directly or indirectly experienced crime, showing clearly the security challenges faced by the retail sector. Emily Boston, spokesperson for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, pointed out that waste, litter, vandalism, breaking and entering, theft, and shoplifting as the most prevalent issues encountered by businesses in British Columbia.

Construction theft poses a significant challenge to both large and small-scale projects across Canada, with equipment, vehicles, building materials, and tools disappearing from sites at an alarming rate. Recent estimates indicate that construction theft costs Canadian contractors up to $46 million annually, with losses escalating over time. The ease of theft, coupled with the lucrative resale market for stolen goods, makes construction sites prime targets for both on-site workers and organized criminals.

Security is a critical concern for restaurant owners, as threats to their establishment can result in financial losses, damage to property, and safety risks to customers and employees. 

In fact, breaking and entering was the third most common claim for restaurants in Canada, according to Federated Insurance’s internal claims data. The average loss was about $8,000, but the highest claim came in at over $90,000. 

Fortunately, there are several effective ways to improve restaurant security and protect your business. In this blog, we will explore ten strategies that can help protect your restaurant and strengthen your overall security system.

In the area of law enforcement, securing businesses like pharmacies is vital to maintaining public safety. These establishments are not only hubs of healthcare but also potential targets for criminal activity. Here’s a recent warning from the Vancouver police.

A recent report from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) has claimed that small businesses in Western Canada - the heart and soul of many neighbourhoods - are calling for more work to be done to address crime and better improve community safety. 

Today’s security threats are increasingly sophisticated. Unfortunately, that means businesses are faced with a new challenge - selecting a security system that not only deters crime but also provides reliable detection and response.

Traditional unverified alarms have been the norm for years, but as technology has advanced, verified security systems have emerged as a superior choice for a multitude of reasons.

Despite the surge of online scams and fraudulent digital transactions, door-to-door scams still persist, posing a potential threat to business owners. Staying informed about these scams and implementing a robust security solution is crucial for safeguarding your business from financial losses.

Thefts, assault and intimidation are on the rise for businesses across Western Canada. As a result, an increasing number of companies are looking for ways to better protect their properties. 

One popular solution, especially for larger establishments, is hiring security personnel to stand guard outside of stores. But is this really the right option?

Companies of all sizes confront an array of security threats going into 2024, ranging from cyberattacks and data breaches to vandalism and employee theft. It is imperative for companies to implement a robust security solution that safeguards their assets, employees, and customers.

An effective business security plan should encompass various key components designed to tackle an extensive range of security threats.

Ensuring the well-being of employees has become a paramount concern for organizations in Western Canada. Employee safety and security are not only ethical imperatives, but also fundamental to fostering a productive and harmonious work environment. 

One of the key innovations that have emerged in recent years to address this concern is the implementation of panic buttons in workplaces, particularly in the retail industry where violent crimes are more common.

Does your business have an electronic security system or are you planning on investing in one? Then it’s likely that you will have to activate and deactivate the system with codes. 

While the right electronic security system will be highly effective at securing your business, it will come with one important prerequisite - you will need to remember and protect your security codes to keep your premises secure.

The landscape of commercial security has undergone a significant transformation over the past few decades, evolving from basic mechanical systems to sophisticated, technology-driven solutions.

This evolution has been driven by the need for more efficient, reliable, and scalable security measures to protect businesses, as crimes such as theft, vandalism and break-and-enters become increasingly more sophisticated and difficult to prevent.

As a retail store owner, it’s not the Grinch you need to look out for over the holiday season. It’s theft and vandalism. In fact, last year, about $112B was lost to various types of retail crime, including shoplifting, flash mobs, and organized crime.

With the holiday season comes a surge in foot traffic and opportunity for retail stores (whether the pre-Christmas shopping rush or the following Boxing Day sales), but this also marks a time when security risks escalate. Retail theft, shoplifting and other security breaches can significantly impact your company’s bottom line - and even your reputation.

A group of more than 30 British Columbia retailers, trade associations and other groups is calling for immediate government action on theft, vandalism and violent crime, which its members say have reached "epidemic proportions'' across the province.

That’s according to a new article from CBC News, which said the coalition wants all levels of government to work together to address what it calls a crime "crisis'' in retail settings.