/ 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 • office security • tailgating • theft/ 0 Comments

4 Physical Security threats to your business and how to prevent them

Physical security threats
There is a myriad of potential threats that can impact a business. Here we discuss some of the most common threats to businesses along with how business owners can be proactive to ensure maximum protection.

1)    Theft

Theft is one of the most common types of physical security threats a business can face but is also one of the easiest to protect against. It is a threat you should never take lightly, the reason why it is easier to protect against is that you can often predict the ways in which thieves might steal from you. You know the entrances and exits to your building for example. This allows you to invest in equipment that will improve security in these areas.

Cyber security is a huge focus for many businesses and while businesses need to tackle this severe threat; it is also important not to overlook physical security. The amount of time a company has to devote to tackle cyber security threats that have increased over the past few decades can leave resources too thin to think about physical security in as much detail. However, having strong physical security as part of your overall business security plan can also help with cyber security.

Access control systems around the entrances to your building mean that only people with the correct key card or passcode can enter. Ensure this is even more secure by considering the use of biometric fingerprint readers.
Unfortunately, many businesses also should consider that the threat of theft can be internal. Therefore, you will have to consider internal processes to help reduce this possibility, such as CCTV cameras.

2)    Vandalism

Vandalism may not be seen as a security threat; it is as it deliberately damages property. Not only does it cost money and resources to rectify the problem, it creates a bad image for the company from a physical point of view. Implementing the correct measures can reduce the risk significantly. Having strong perimeter security with use of gates, efficient lighting, CCTV and even a security guard can all help.

3)    Tailgating

Installing an access control systems can reduce the danger of unauthorised people accessing your premises. Tailgating is when an unauthorised person follows an authorised person through a secure door. It is easily done, especially during busy periods with lots of foot traffic. People could easily mistake an unauthorised visitor as a genuine visitor and hold the door open out of politeness. Investing in anti-tailgating doors or turnstiles can help reduce this problem. Always ensure employees know the correct protocol and only let in people who can prove should be there. Ensuring your visitors are given official temporary access badges can help with this.

4)    Natural Disasters

Natural disasters are difficult to plan for.  Due to the nature of floods, earthquakes and wildfires, advanced warnings can be limited and damages hard to forecast. Although we are lucky in the UK to not have high risk of major earthquakes or wildfires, we are at risk of flooding which can cause significant damage to some companies. If you are in a high flood risk area, ensure you have considered the threat when creating a security plan to try and mitigate as much of the risk as possible.

There have been threats to business security as long as businesses have existed. The concept is nothing new, it is just that new threats appear over time that businesses need to prepare for. The good news is, that our level or protection has also advanced over the years. There are a suite of devices and systems that can help improve security. If a business is not prepared for these security threats, then both their company and it’s employees can be adversely affected as a result.
Having a comprehensive business security plan is the first step to ensuring that you have made the necessary precautions to ensure your businesses’ security.

To find out more about we can help you improve your business’ security, please contact us on 01522 682255 for a free, no obligation call and feasibility survey to assess your business needs.

/ By Gateway Team / access control equipment • art gallery • galleries • gallery security • museum security • museums • security • theft/ 0 Comments

Protecting museums and galleries with access control equipment

protecting museums and galleries with access control equipmentIn 1994, the world-famous Munch painting ‘The Scream’ was stolen by thieves in Oslo, Norway. Two men took less than a minute to climb a ladder, smash through the window of the National Art Museum and remove the painting from the wall with wire cutters. The entire incident was caught on CCTV; however, cameras alone were never going to be enough to protect such a valuable piece of art. Such was the oversight in their security provisions that the thieves actually left a thank you note to the museum for their “poor security”.

Art gallery thefts are not uncommon, and another high-profile theft happened in 2008, when pieces by Cezanne, Degas, Monet and Van Gogh were stolen in less than 5 minutes from a gallery in Zurich. Famous pieces of art command high prices on the black market and because of this very few are ever successfully recovered, which makes it all the more important to have proper security controls in place.

They key way to ensure that a museum or art gallery is protected is to create a complex, multi-layered security system that plans for the worst eventualities, and access control equipment can play an important role. Where CCTV may simply document a crime taking place, access control equipment can actually help prevent and deter crime.

The conundrum for many gallery and museum owners is how to balance making exhibits easily accessible and appealing while still maintaining high-levels of protection. While art galleries and museums are public places and should not look like prisons, it is important that security fundamentals are not overlooked. Compromises can be found and sometimes security measures actually enhance the experience of the visitor. Barriers and turnstiles should be installed at entry and exit points around the building which can help to manage human traffic and allow security personnel to successfully monitor and check who is accessing the building. This not only helps to cut down on incidents but also reassures the public that their security is taken seriously.

What’s more, a multi-tiered privilege system must be in place which ensures that only the people who need access to certain areas of the building are given it. Museums and galleries are at high risk of so-called ‘inside jobs’ and so these types of measures are an absolute must. High risk areas where paintings, artwork and antiques are kept in storage should always be secured with access control such as biometric fingerprint readers, keypad or fob systems.

Together with other solutions like manned guarding, plainclothes supervisors, alarmed windows, motion detection, environmental sensors, glazing and vibration sensors, access control equipment can form a comprehensive security plan as detailed as the pieces of art hanging on the walls.

Gateway Automation provides a range of products including access control equipment to help businesses and individuals secure their sites against crime. We also provide nationwide servicing and repairs to gates, barriers and other perimeter security equipment. To find out more please call us on 01522 682255.