Security is a priceless thing both for your home and for your business. A theft can hurt a family as well as a company, costing thousands of dollars and sometimes hurting the reputation of the establishment. In 2013, 26% of all burglaries were from commercial businesses, amounting to nearly $1.2 billion in property losses. That does not take into consideration the cost of any damages done during the act, or any other fees or costs. These losses could have been more easily prevented with the aid of the proper security systems.
Alarm systems and security cameras are the main tools used to combat theft and have proven to be quite effective. It has been found that during impulsive, unplanned burglaries, more than 50% of thieves caught said they would have discontinued the theft if they discovered an alarm. Similarly, 67% of burglaries can be prevented with the installation of security cameras. These measures, when in place, not only allow the authorities to catch criminals in the act, but discourage the very idea of theft.
Even if thieves are not a concern, hypothetically, it has been found that nearly 34.5% of inventory shrinkage (when a business loses property without a sale) is due to the employees that work for the company itself. That means that over a third of the company’s thefts are occurring from trusted individuals inside of the building; an alarm system alone cannot combat this.
That’s where the security camera comes into play — allowing the employer to spot and stop employee theft. Alarm systems and camera systems working together are the keys to preventing theft. Alone they only work in specific instances.
Despite these statistics and the threat of losing property and revenue, only one out of every seven businesses has alarm systems in place. This is a dangerous position. Assuming that the other six have either security cameras or no other systems in place, that leaves them vulnerable to theft. A camera, without an active security monitor set in place 24/7, can only address thefts after the fact, not during. These companies are in need of a commercial security system, and a comprehensive one. They need reliable and effective security. It is understandable that many smaller businesses cannot afford the aid of security companies, but high quality commercial security systems can be bought and installed without the need for expensive security companies.
It is important that businesses take measures to protect their livelihoods, and that those measures are thorough. It is advised that they apply both an alarm and a camera based system for the best possible results.
