According to the South African 2015/2016 crime statistics, business burglaries during this time of the year increase exponentially, especially in empty offices and buildings.
“Burglary is a serious threat to any business and can significantly affect operations,” said Wickus van der Walt, head of broker distribution: FNB Insurance Brokers.
“A lot of burglaries and related theft occurs primarily at businesses, when they’re closed for business.
“The losses are quite large and happen over a relatively short period.”
Having tighter security measures, can give business owners peace of mind while away on vacation.
Van der Walt shares five cautionary tips on how businesses can tighten their security during this season:
- Make sure your business is adequately insured: It’s become essential for businesses to have adequate insurance cover in place. Insure valuable assets and understand the replacement values of those assets. Make sure you engage your insurer, to establish that your business has adequate cover.
- Lock away your valuables: Burglars have become highly aware of vacant offices containing assets such as computers, laptops and stock for the festive season. Place valuable items in a secure room or safe; don’t leave expensive items hanging around the office.
- Activate alarm systems: Test your alarm systems and make sure they’re operational and if possible, activate new and stronger passwords and alarm codes.
- Burglar bars: Secure burglar bars and place them on the inside of the windows, as that slows the burglary process down.
- Keep records of all movable assets in case of a robbery: take inventory of computers, stock, keys, and gate remotes. Including serial numbers can help speed up the insurance process, in case of an emergency.
“In these tough times when businesses are struggling to survive, the last thing business owners want is to be caught off-guard by a robbery.
“Without taking the necessary precautions and putting tighter security measures in place, as well as ensuring adequate insurance cover against potential risks, a business can be left defenceless during this festive season,” said van der Walt.
