With the Easter holidays here, offices across South Africa have closed doors for a few days and families have geared-up and hit the road.
Unfortunately, holidays and long weekends are prime periods for break-ins at unguarded homes and businesses according to Nashua.
Research suggests that about 686 households and 54 businesses get broken into daily in SA – and this increases substantially during the holidays. So, review your security procedures and equipment before the holidays to ensure your premises – personal and professional – are safe and secure.
Here are some tips to help protect your home and business while you’re away:
Lock it up
Valuable items are all the motivation needed to break in. During holidays, businesses should adopt a ‘clean desk policy’. Pack away laptops and other valuable equipment in a lockable store room, away from prying eyes.
The same goes for homes. Take extra precautions and store valuable possessions in a safe to reduce theft risk. If your home is on the ground floor or has windows that allow outsiders a look in, make sure blinds and curtains are closed to deter thieves from peeking.
The most important security tip is to ensure properties are locked up properly. Access points should be locked and alarm systems set correctly. Task one individual, make sure they know the procedure ahead of time, and request confirmation when they’ve completed the lock-up and alarm activation.
Back up your data
Invest in cloud storage to back up data in case of theft or natural disaster while on holiday. There are specific programs that allow businesses to track and protect important information.
Some of these programs allow access from any device, at any time. If there’s an emergency while you’re away and you need to check something remotely, it’s simple. Being able to access essential information can help minimise losses and the impact on business continuity.
Turn it off
Security is more than just preventing theft. Reduce the risk of damage by switching off electrical points and appliances. Not only will you negate fire risks caused by overloaded power points, you’ll be saving on electricity costs too.
Increase security
Assess whether current security measures could be improved. CCTV cameras and alarms will intimidate potential intruders, so should be used to their full advantage – make sure they’re working by testing comprehensively.
Eyes everywhere
Enlist security personnel to monitor premises during the holidays. This is particularly important at night. Consider installing lights in and around the property to discourage potential intruders.
As a last precaution, ask neighbours to keep an eye on your office or home. Ask them to alert you to any suspicious activity.
With security precautions in place, heightened awareness of holiday dangers and tech tools to monitor your property from afar, you can enjoy the Easter holiday and long weekend while keeping your business and home safe.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at randfonteinherald@caxton.co.za (please remember to include your contact details in the email) or phone us on 011 693 3671.
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