Do you have a security solution in place that protects your rural farm in Western Canada from theft? This is more important than ever before - and, thankfully, now there’s better security technology than there has ever been before as well.
Crime on rural farms has been hitting the news quite frequently in recent times. Take a look at this story in the Calgary Herald for example. An investigation into the theft of four calves from a southern Alberta property resulted in RCMP recovering four missing calves, as well as seizing a bag of crystal meth and an unauthorized weapon.
“The four calves have been returned to their owner, however, the impacts from crime as a result of a theft of this nature are ongoing,” Sgt. Gary Maclaren of the crime reduction unit said in a news release Wednesday.
“The victim will continue to experience not only the stress resulting from being a victim of crime but also the added financial costs, which include the cost of purchasing milk replacer and having to bottle-feed the animals as a result of them being apart from their mother too long. Other impacts are long-term effects on the mothers of the calves as a result of their separation, which can reduce their value.”
With that in mind, what can rural farms across Western Canada do to better protect their assets? We will answer your questions here.
This year, Alberta RCMP are suggesting that property owners consider Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED). This includes installing fences and locked gates around the property to make it obvious when someone is trying to trespass, installing timed/motion sensor lights to keep your property bright at night and while you are away, and planning your landscaping to deter criminals. For example, keeping trees and shrubs pruned so that they do not make windows easy entry points, and even installing thorny plants that make sneaking around uncomfortable, if not impossible, for criminals.
Around 98% of all conventional security alarms that are triggered are actually false alarms. The majority of these activations stem from door and window contact alarms, and conventional motion sensors. Most police departments across North America, will not respond to unverified systems and alarms, or will even levy a fine. They simply do not have the valuable resources to respond to what has proven to be a waste of time.
Protecting your business from break-ins and theft is at the core of commercial security solutions. After all, you want to ensure your employees and company assets are safe. But what about lesser damage such as vandalism? Vandalism may cost you less in terms of clean-up, but it is still and expense you don’t need, can damage your brand image, and can be an indication that criminals in the area think your facility is an easy mark.
Wineries are big business in BC, and exports of Canadian wine are growing each year. In 2016, Canadian exports totalled 71.4 million litres, valued at $80.1 million. B.C. is now home to over 800 vineyards, representing approximately 1/3rd of Canada’s total vineyards across the country.
Nobody expects to have their business fall victim to robbery, vandalism, arson or any number of crimes but it happens.
While you can’t stop the risk completely you can reduce it, and if it does happen, there is a way to feel confident that the necessary response teams will be there quickly.
Sonitrol’s unique verified audio and video CCTV security systems enable our operators to hear and see what is happening at your place of business before the criminals gain entry! This allows us to verify the source of the alarm in real-time, and if it is the result of criminal activity, the local authorities are notified swiftly.
One of the most popular security devices that businesses install are CCTV cameras. They are relatively inexpensive, and they can give a sense of security to businesses that they are protected from theft, break-ins and other crimes. But, there is a vast array of CCTV cameras and CCTV technology available, they're not all equal, and they can provide different levels of security, ranging from useless to totally secure.
Business owners are right to be concerned about the security of their facility and property. Businesses are the number one targets for crime. The National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association estimates that property crime averages 75% of all crime committed.
It's true that some types of commercial enterprises are more attractive to thieves because of what they sell or inventory - medical marijuana, jewelry, electronics, to name a few, but even if you aren't in high-end retail, don't be fooled into thinking you are safe. Thieves break into constructions sites, tire warehouses, fenced compounds, and even ordinary business offices, to steal information like employee data for identify theft.
Inventory shrinkage is a huge problem for retailers. In fact, Canadian retailers lose about $4 billion a year to theft, errors and damage. Retailers are constantly looking for ways to reduce their losses - from eliminating shoplifting, to reducing internal errors in shipping and accounting.
Sometimes the risk of inventory loss can outweigh a retailer’s resources for managing it.
That's where we can help. I'd like to share with you 5 tips that will help you better manage your inventory and prevent loss.
If you manage an office-based business, an accounting practice, law firm, dentist office, engineering company, financial services, or general business operation located in a standard office building you will need to have a quality security system in place, not only to protect your employees, valuables, electronics and equipment, but also those valuable client records and documents.
For more than 50 years, Sonitrol has been in the security business, engaged in not only monitoring alarms at our central monitoring station but also verifying those alarms and informing the local law enforcement officers of a potential crime in progress.
Sonitrol is one of the largest commercial security companies in North America, serving more than 180 cities with state-of-the-art electronic security solutions.
We're proud to announce that the number of criminals we've captured since 1977 (when we started to keep records), has now soared to 174,838! That's one criminal capture everything 111 minutes across North America.
If you want to deter criminals - having a quality, customized, security system is imperative. But it’s not the only thing you can do to make your business or property less appealing to thieves, robbers, and vandals looking for opportunities. It’s equally important to ensure your facility is environmentally unwelcoming to would-be intruders. You want to let criminals know that your business - whether an office, warehouse, retail store, or construction site - is not an easy target, and that their time would be better spent somewhere else.
As a business owner or manager, you need to understand the threats and vulnerabilities of your particular industry, building type, and location, in order to make informed decisions about security. In the case of security, one size definitely does not fit all. To properly protect your assets, employees, inventory, and livelihood, you need a security solution tailored to your specific needs.
As a business owner or manager in ANY industry, you’re probably already well aware of the value of having a CCTV system installed. This is why it’s important to understand your options and select the right CCTV camera / system for your specific needs.
There are many different types of CCTV cameras to choose from, all have different options, styles, configurations, and features. The result can be an overwhelming array of choices. That’s why we’ve taken the time to lay out some of the most popular types of cameras and what they are best for:
If you own or manage a retail store of any type, you know well about the threats you face on a daily basis. Internal loss and employee theft, armed robbery, break-ins, organized theft, vandalism and more ... are all very real threats that unfortunately become a reality for many retail stores across Western Canada.
If you’re a business, new, expanding, moving or just looking into security for the first time, it’s important to understand what exactly is at stake, and make an informed choice so you can protect your business from possible threats. Threats may be internal, such as employee theft and shipping errors - or external, such as data breaches, break-ins, and vandalism. If you're looking for a security solution, it’s important you understand your industries main risks and your individual business vulnerabilities so you can avoid some common security mistakes. In this blog we’ve outlined the top 5 common security mistakes that businesses make when choosing a security solution for their building or property.
I am writing to say thank you to the Calgary Police Department for their remarkable response to a B&E in my tire compound over the weekend. Just after 2:00AM on Saturday morning, your Sonavision Live Monitored Video system detected a man entering my compound and dispatched the Calgary Police immediately.
Retailers know how important managing loss prevention is. From robbery and shoplifting, to internal causes such as shipping and accounting errors - the opportunities for loss sometimes outweigh a retailer’s resources for managing it. One of the most prevalent and growing crimes is employee theft. Out of all theft related incidents, over 33% is due to employee theft up from 19% in 2008, according to Retail Council of Canada and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Retailers are turning to more sophisticated ways to monitor inventory and prevent internal loss. We’ve come up with a list of tips you can follow to reduce the risk and instance of employee theft.
Car dealerships, RV dealerships, and all kinds of vehicle and machinery dealerships, face many different security risks. With open lots, glass showrooms, and service centres filled with valuable inventory - it’s no wonder they become a target for theft and vandalism.
Dealerships are vulnerable not only to break-ins to try and get the keys, but also to theft by stripping vehicle parts such as catalytic converters, air bags, navigation systems, pick-up tailgates, tires, and rims. You have valuable assets to protect - so security should be top of mind.
We provide our customers with the best commercial security solutions and quality service backed by our unique Guarantee and Commitment to Service. It's something unverified conventional alarm companies simply cannot guarantee!
