/ By Gateway Team / burglary • crime • perimeter security • physical security • security • theft/ 0 Comments

How Businesses can help reduce the risk of burglary

BurglarNo matter the size or scale of your operations, burglary can have disastrous consequences for a business. From cash and asset losses through to negative press articles and the impact on employees caught up in the event, the fallout can be massive.

It is, however, worth remembering that the vast majority of burglaries are opportunistic in nature. Time and time again, police forces up and down the UK have warned that criminals hunt for easy prey. Businesses which fail to pay attention to perimeter security are high targets for criminals and gangs. Let’s take a look at some of the simple ways to help reduce the risk of burglary.

Risk assessments

In the same way that you would likely leave your home boiler repair to the gasman, your perimeter security should be handled by an expert. Every business is different and has their own unique operational and security-focused needs that need to be balanced when choosing perimeter security tools. A risk assessment will take into account the nature of your business when deciding which tools are going to be used.

Gates and barriers

Gates and barriers send a strong message out to opportunistic criminals. From the moment they first come across your property they will see that security is high on your agenda and that entry will be difficult. If entry is difficult then an escape will likely also be hard, effectively removing your business from their sights.

Access Control Equipment

One of the best ways to prevent a burglary is to think carefully about the layout of your site, and the location of valuable assets. Storing valuable items or data in specific locations can be a great way to prevent unauthorised access. Entry can be controlled with cards, fobs, keypads, or even cutting-edge biometric technology such as fingerprint readers.

Alarms and security systems

Tools such as CCTV and alarms can detect motion around your business and be used to alert the authorities. They play a role in protecting your business, but should simply augment other factors of your perimeter security. CCTV may record criminal activity but they do not prevent the incident from happening in the first place.

Lighting

Criminals do not want to be seen and identified. While you may think that lights may draw attention to your business, they can actually do the opposite. Adequate lighting not only increases your chances of a bypasser witnessing an incident but also helps other tools like CCTV to capture the likeness of an intruder. Don’t forget to regularly change bulbs that have been broken or otherwise damaged.

Control Vehicle and Pedestrian Access

Another key point to consider is how you manage access both on foot and in vehicles. Pedestrian traffic can be monitored and controlled by turnstiles. These turnstiles might be manned or unmanned with keypads, fobs, or fingerprint scanners. But they are a hurdle for criminals to overcome both before and after a crime.

Equally, vehicular access needs to be considered carefully. In recent years there has been an increased number of burglaries committed with the use of vehicles. Heavy-duty vehicles can be used to effectively ram their way into buildings and escape with valuable goods. To combat this you can install gates, bollards, rising kerbs, flow control plates, and road blockers. All of which can be helpful in cutting off access to road vehicles.

How we can help

Arranging effective perimeter security is not something that you should go at alone. No matter the size or nature of your business, we can provide you with a free, no-obligation quotation and feasibility survey. This will assess the security requirements of your organisation. For more information on any of the security options above, or for further advice on how to protect your business premises from criminals, please contact us here or call us on 01522 682 255.

/ By Gateway Team / business security • crime • physical security/ 0 Comments

Top 5 Physical Risks for Businesses

Security RisksIn recent years, internet and cyber security has become a hot topic. Ransomware, malware, phishing, and other malicious software all present very credible threats to businesses. And a failure to address these types of issues can, indeed, leave businesses in hot water.

However, while cybersecurity is an important part of protecting your business, it should never be a replacement for physical security. Here are five of the most credible physical security threats to brick and mortar sites, and key actions you can take to deter them.

1) Theft and burglary

One of the most prevalent forms of crime against businesses is that of theft. Theft, even in small amounts, can cause huge disruption to your operations. Cash or asset losses affect not only the overall health of your business. This can also affect customer confidence, and undermine the morale of your employees.

2) Vandalism

Vandalism can encompass a broad range of activities, many that can be toxic to your business. Graffiti is the most obvious, as well as small acts of arson, the smashing of windows or doors, structural damage, fly tipping and more. Any business can be a victim of vandalism, but properties that are isolated or currently unoccupied are particularly at risk.

3) Arson

Arson can completely devastate buildings, gut them entirely of any stock or equipment and endanger human life. However, what you might not know is that not all arson attacks are opportunistic. Many are planned out in advance, and sometimes even targeted due to a dislike or slight against a company. Fires can spread very quickly, which is why in this case, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure.

4) Unauthorized entry

Not all crimes happen during the twilight hours. Without proper restrictions in place, unauthorised visitors can make their way into your buildings and go on to commit crime. This can include theft of assets, destruction of property, or even assault against members of your workforce. Some crimes may even slip under the radar entirely.

5) Terrorism
For businesses in highly visible sectors such as governmental organisations, acts of terrorism remain a present danger. Terrorists seek to cause disruption and fear, making any governmental building a possible target due to their high profile and connection to power. Other targets might include sites with high traffic, including; schools and universities, nightclubs and arenas, or any infrastructure that is critical to the UK’s power and water supplies.

Preparing for the worst

With dwindling Police force budgets across the country, and mounting paperwork on their desks, it is understandable that stretched officers can no longer respond to crimes as quickly as they might have once done. However, this simply further underlines the importance of acting before the event with preventative measures such as physical perimeter security.

Security starts at your perimeter and tough measures can act as a deterrent to criminals looking to gain entry to a site. Interior and exterior protections such as gates and turnstiles can limit access to approved visitors. Vehicular access can be controlled through automatic barriers, rising kerbs and road blockers. While pedestrian access can be managed through keypads, biometrics and fobs, to name just a few of the solutions available.

It can be difficult to know where to start, so a business’s first port of call when addressing their needs should be to arrange a risk assessment through a qualified and experienced provider. Here at Gateway Automation we can provide you with a free, no-obligation quotation and feasibility survey to assess your perimeter security requirements. To find out more please contact Gateway Automation on 01522 682255.

/ By Gateway Team / business security • crime/ 0 Comments

How to plan for the worst: What major threats do businesses in the UK face?

how to plan for the worst - what major threats do businesses in the uk face todayEvery successful business has been through testing times at some point along the way. However, what separates the businesses that thrive from the ones that fail is their ability to plan for the worst. Here we will look at some of the most common, and devastating, threats to businesses in the UK and how you can protect against them.

1 – Cyber Crime
It seems we can’t go more than a couple of weeks without news of a high-profile business falling victim to cybercrime, losing data or being extorted. Whether public organizations like the NHS, private companies or individuals, everyone is a target when it comes to cybercrime. Threats like ransomware, keyloggers and other malware mean that it is more important than ever to take internet security seriously and avoid falling victim to gangs of cyber criminals.

2 – Internal Crime
Another threat that businesses sometimes face is that of their own employees. Whether through the theft of data, or assets such as vehicles, computer equipment, technology, cash or high value products like petrol, there are a great number of ways that businesses can be duped by their own. One way that businesses can protect themselves is to consider securing high value equipment, cash and other assets in areas that are protected with access control equipment.

3 – Tech failures
Businesses increasingly rely on computer technology or other machines to go about their business. If your business relies heavily on equipment, then you need to consider carefully what you would do if that equipment is compromised. Is your data backed up? Do you have contingency plans in place if equipment fails? A business continuity and recovery plan can help you to plan for this type of scenario.

4 – Natural disasters and damage to infrastructure
Floods and storms are two potential disasters which can affect businesses in the UK, as well as heavy weather conditions such as snow. If you are in a high-risk flood area, then you should already have some measures in place to protect against water damage. However, in some cases bad weather can come from nowhere and in areas which are not typically at risk. You could also fall victim to unexpected internal damage such as burst pipes and electrical fires. The solution here is to be prepared with a continuity and recovery plan.

5 – External crime
By far the biggest threat to businesses in the UK is that of external crime from people outside of their organization. Crime against businesses has spiked in recent years and many have fallen target to devastating crimes like criminal damage, arson, shoplifting, and burglaries. It has affected a wide range of industries too targeting everyone from retail, hotel and leisure facilities to banking, commercial, transport, distribution, warehousing and universities, colleges and schools.

Here at Gateway we have worked with countless businesses to help reduce the threat of crime against their premises. We use risk assessments to calculate exactly where a business may be lacking in their security efforts and make sensible recommendations on where to improve – whether through barriers, bollards, gates, turnstiles, access control equipment, or something else entirely, we only implement the very best solutions. We also provide nationwide servicing and repairs to security equipment. To find out more please call us on 01522 682255.

/ By Gateway Team / business security • crime/ 0 Comments

Businesses Beware: Crime rising in the UK

Businesses beware crime rising in the ukLatest figures released by the Office for National Statistics show an overall crime rise of almost 13% in England and Wales. This brings the total number of crimes recorded to the five million mark for the first time in 10 years.

The figures arrived just days after senior officers of the Metropolitan Police claimed that violent crime is soaring in the UK and is in danger of getting out of control due to “significant reductions in resources”.

In terms of crime against businesses, previous years reports highlight just how big the problem has been. The most recent survey in 2016 recorded over 5.2 million incidents of crime against businesses, particularly those in the wholesale and retail sectors.

The latest figures show the number of robberies against business properties to be around 6,599 incidents, non-domestic burglaries at 187,802 and incidents of shoplifting a staggering 377,172. The figures also include other offences which businesses can also fall victim too such as criminal damage and arson, of which there were 578,596 incidents between July 2016 and June 2017.

At Gateway Automation, we have vast experience helping businesses protect themselves against criminal elements and finding ways to curb burglary, theft, vandalism, and arson. We provide a range of products to help businesses secure their sites as well as nationwide Perimeter Security Servicing. To find out more about what we do, contact us today.

/ By Gateway Team / crime • perimeter security • risk assessment/ 0 Comments

Risk assessments – the first step in securing your premises

The perimeter of your property is the boundary between your buildings and land and the outside world. As such, the strength of the physical security around your perimeter is the first line of defence against criminals. It acts not only as a deterrent, but also a means to physically delay or completely stop a criminal from gaining access to your site.

Crime remains a major threat to businesses and organisations in the UK with crime against businesses accounting for as much as 20% of all the crimes recorded. What’s more, a large proportion of these criminal activities are unplanned and opportunistic – meaning that criminals spot vulnerabilities in a business’s perimeter security and decide there and then to exploit them.

Time and time again, we find businesses that rely solely on only one or two forms of perimeter security, perhaps only installing CCTV cameras or relying on outdated or broken equipment which leaves their property vulnerable. The problem with this approach is that it fails to consider every eventuality and does not deliver the 360 degree approach that is needed for adequately securing premises. For example, CCTV may be able to witness a vehicle entering your site as a robbery takes place and alarm systems may notify authorities, but a piece of equipment like a Crash Tested Road Blocker may prevent the vehicle from ever gaining access in the first place.

When it comes to securing your property the absolute first step you should take is to ask a professional company to undertake a risk assessment. This means that, rather than relying on guesswork as to how best to deter criminals, you will have cold hard facts as to where you are vulnerable and which products would best suit your needs.

Taking in the needs, processes and operational style of your business, a risk assessment will help to create a security solution that works for your business. Looking at your organisation and how it operates, what threats you face and the constraints of your location, buildings or other factors it will help you and your employees to feel safe and secure in the face of criminal activity.

Whether your business runs from small retail premises or a large industrial site, we can provide you with a free, no-obligation risk assessment, feasibility survey and quotation to assess your perimeter security requirements. For more information or for further advice on how to protect your business premises from criminals, please contact us