Recent research suggests that there were more than 600,000 crimes against businesses across England and Wales. These crimes include robbery, burglary, shoplifting and theft and shows you just how at-risk you could be. Whether the crime is committed by an employee or someone else, you need to protect yourself and your business from this eventuality.

Particularly if your organisation operates in an area with high levels of crime, it’s vital that you put protections in place. To give you a helping hand, we’ve created a guide on how to increase your business security.

One of the very first steps when considering bolstering the security of your commercial property is to invest in a professional risk assessment which can help to identify any weak spots and provide solutions. This can be achieved by consulting with staff who may be able to identify where they see any potential issues. As well as this, you could work with a team of professional security specialists who will be able to provide an even more detailed appraisal of where you may be falling short. These assessments will take into account where your premises is located and where all the risk-heavy points of entry are.

One of the most effective ways to improve the security of your business property is to install a comprehensive CCTV system. If you haven’t done this already, strategically installing CCTV cameras around your property will help to provide both a deterrent against thieves as well as means to apprehend criminals and vandals.

Following your risk assessment, you should have a clear understanding of the best locations around your property to place CCTV cameras. Studies suggest that the presence of CCTV can help to reduce the number of opportunistic crimes which take place. Even if a crime is committed, however, you will have much of the necessary evidence to apprehend the criminals and bring them to justice.

Combined with CCTV, advanced alarm systems are another excellent security measure to put in place which will improve the security at your commercial property. There are a number of styles of alarm systems and some of the more advanced ones have many benefits. 

As well as releasing a shrill alarm sound when triggered, some alarms automatically connect to manned switchboards when they are set off which will then notify the police. This means that you’ll have the authorities at your door to apprehend the criminals in no time at all and will give you a much better chance of having any stolen items returned.

One of the most fundamental - but effective - ways of securing your commercial property is to ensure that the perimeter is secured with the installation of a metal gate and fence. If a business property has a robust security fence and gates already in place, it’s simply more difficult for intruders to gain access. 

If a burglar sees that your property is going to be challenging to enter, they may choose another property. Most crimes committed are opportunistic, so putting as many barriers between yourself and a criminal will inevitably increase your security. Also installing security lights, a secure car park and robust locks will further improve your perimeter security.

As well as bolstering the security of your perimeter, it’s vital that all access and entry points are strengthened as well. There may be multiple points of entry that a seasoned criminal may notice and look to exploit, so improving the security of them all can make a world of difference. 

Following a risk assessment, consider all of the options a thief might use to gain access to your property and fit them all with extra security measures. You could install robust locks on each of these entry points and ensure that they are locked from the moment your employees have left the building.

The security of internal doors is just as important as the security of external doors. If someone does gain access to your property from the outside, having robust doors on the inside might prevent them from getting to anything that is of value. 

By properly securing your internal doors - particularly to areas which hold cash or valuable items - you can add another layer of protection to the building. If a criminal enters and sets off the alarm, they will know they only have a brief opportunity to access valuables and make their escape. By preventing them from getting to areas with these items or machinery, you might end up deterring them from trying at all. Safeguarding areas with the most valuable items is a vital step to ensure you don’t fall victim to crime.

Employing security guards to provide a physical presence should never be underestimated. By having a team of trained professionals, who understand which suspicious behaviours to look out for, you can better protect yourself and your business. 

Trained security guards act as a very strong deterrent against crime and professionals will know exactly what to keep their eyes open for. They’ll also be able to apprehend criminals if one does try to gain entry and take them straight to the police. Dedicated security personnel can make all the difference if the worst were to happen.

Although all of these measures are in relation to physical security threats, it’s important not to discount the growing need for cybersecurity. With technology advancing all of the time, hackers and cybercriminals are always coming up with new ways to intrude into your systems and steal data or money through IT. 

This can be a much more difficult threat to protect against, so it’s again an idea to have a cybersecurity risk assessment performed which will help to identify any areas which could pose a threat or be exploited by cybercrime. 

Education here is key too. It’s vital that your staff know the best practices when it comes to cybersecurity to ensure that they don’t leave any systems open to penetration. Some basic tips are to ensure that your passwords are changed on a regular basis, that any unused accounts are deleted, and that all of your cyber-protection software is kept up to date.

Are you searching for expert ironmongery and metal fabrication services in the Midlands for your next security or construction project in the West Midlands? If so, look no further than Underwoods Steel. We have four decades worth of experience in the metal supply and structural steel industry and have supplied countless clients with high-quality products.

Regardless of whether you’re a homeowner looking to install wrought iron gates or you’re working on a large construction project, we can provide you with the services you need. Our construction products - including iron railings and gas and welding supplies - are all high quality and will stand the test of time. Our customer service is excellent and we always treat every single customer we work with the same. For affordable prices, we should be your choice in the West Midlands.

To find out more, please feel free to contact us today. You can find us at our head office in Hereford at Underwoods Steel Stockholders Ltd, Barrs Court Works, Off Widemarsh St, Hereford, HR4 9LR or our Worcester office. Alternatively, call us on 01432 265757 or email us at esales@underwoods-steels.co.uk.