
Before buying a security system, you should know your chances of being a victim of a theft or burglary and the impact it would cause.
It is not simply about buying security products. We think that each product has its own technical characteristics, and these must be linked to a specific benefit that you really need or otherwise, you will only have a security system of a certain quality but that will not be really effective for your personal circumstances.
Risk analysis is the key to effective purchasing when it comes to security systems.
Analysis of risks in private security
Nowadays, risk analysis in private security is used for almost everything, mainly because it is an evaluation format that allows establishing a risk threshold and its impact on the business or on a home; that is to say, the zones of risk and level of security of the house or business premises.
However, at the level of small private owners, a risk assessment in terms of physical security is rarely contracted to open a store and much less, to acquire a home.
Maybe the reason is that it is something complex and boring, plus you have to pay for it.
Types of hazards and security in Business
Experts in security services in Oxford offer the following advice. We live in a society where crime is an inevitable feature of civilization (it is a permanent threat). Based on the theory that theft is, without a doubt, the easiest crime to avoid and that in a very high percentage of cases, the crime is committed because the owner of the property provides facilities.
If we consider that the delinquent seeks to go unnoticed, business are the most attractive properties to commit the crime because most of the time they are unoccupied and unguarded.
In second place, offices in the neighbourhood, then the premises at street level, and finally public buildings because the latter are almost always monitored, their investments in security systems are greater and the difficulty to violate them exceeds the knowledge of the delinquent (intruder).
Of course, the “estimated booty” factor also influences the attractiveness of committing the crime.
Security measures against theft
It is highly recommended to consult a security expert for advice, just as you would with a health, financial or any other type of problem.
In principle, it does not take much talent to prescribe 85% of solutions for 15% of problems. But the true security specialist is the one who is able to correctly diagnose vulnerabilities and recommend countermeasures without going too far, considering both the risks of today and the threats of the future.
Common mistakes made when dealing with security measures
I have read it on the Internet.
The application of security systems simply because they are recommended by a standard or usual practice or “I have read it on the Internet”, without considering the real risk of each owner and situation, often end up being inappropriate, inefficient and costly measures.
High tech security is better than low-tech
Attributing to electronic systems (alarms, cameras, access control cards, etc.) a greater degree of protection effectiveness than physical systems (doors, blinds, locks, bulbs, etc.) is not only incorrect, it is dangerous, even more so when we talk about business and premises on the street.
Ineffective security measures
The following are just some common examples of security measure not well implemented, and therefore ultimately ineffective.
- Buy a safety bulb and do not protect it with a suitable shield.
- Buy a safe weighing less than 100kg and do not anchor it to the floor or to the wall. So, there will be no insurance coverage, nor effective protection.
- Have a safe and several employees know the access key/password. Better to have keys combined with certified VdS grade II electronics and boxes with mailbox so that the employee does not have to open the box to store money.
- Have a locked safe and hide it inside the house or office. The thief, seeing the type of lock, already knows that the key is hidden and will destroy the whole house until he finds it. Sometimes the damage is more expensive than the value of the items guarded in the safe.
- Install a video surveillance system with cameras and not keep the branches of trees that could impede their complete vision well-trimmed and out of the way.
- Install a video surveillance system that is not continually monitored by personnel.
- Confuse business automation comfort, with security against intrusion.
Minimum investment in physical security for business
The cost of the protection system must be economically justified and must provide benefits to the owner. This is the conceptual basis on which the large public and private companies working on risk assessment and analysis methodology work.
But what happens if we think about our small business or our home and our family?
Would we apply such a cold business concept? Many people certainly would not – as the only ‘benefit’ they are interested in with regard to their home/business is that the criminals DO NOT ENTER!