Criminals are getting more creative about how they break into businesses and Sonitrol Pacific’s 2010 record of detections leading to apprehensions reflects this.

For years, breaking in through a door has been the most common point of entry criminals choose.  In 2009, 43 percent of the suspects caught due to a Sonitrol Pacific detection used the door.  However, I was reviewing our 2010 numbers this morning and was a little surprised to discover that those entering through the door dropped significantly.  So far this year, only about 25 percent of the suspects on our apprehension record went in through the door; 25 percent got inside through a window; 25 percent entered through a wall, the roof, over a fence; and 25 percent were detected by our audio sensors and arrested before they got inside.

While this shift in criminal behavior could indicate our communities are doing a great job in giving crime prevention attention to their doors and locks, it also means we need to be more vigilant than ever to make other potential points of entry undesirable for burglars.  Here are a few simple items to give attention to:

• Get to know neighboring businesses and the people who work there.
• Make certain your facility has enough lighting for people to see your facility.
• Install vandal resistant security lighting and locate it out of reach.
• Start or get active in a neighborhood business crime watch organization.
• Keep your business’ signage clean and visible.
• Any shrubs, bushes and other landscaping planted within four feet of any sidewalks, driveways, doors or gates need to be pruned so they are two feet or less tall.
• Trim trees so they cannot be used to gain access to an upper level or the roof.
• Use decorative rock or stone as ground cover near the facility so that it makes noise when someone walks on it.
• Make certain no items that are either 1)attractive to steal or 2)can be used to break in are left outside your facility.
• If you don’t have an access control system, keep clear, up-to-date records of who has which keys to the facility.
• Check your casement windows to make sure they work properly.
• Make certain employees close and lock all windows before leaving for the day.
• Install proper locks on all windows.
• Document your company’s security protocols and standards and make certain everyone knows and follows them.

Check out our complete 2010 apprehension record.