Improving Your Home Security

After the Burglary, How to Improve Your Store's Locks and Security

by Clifton Montgomery

After you close up your shop at the end of the night, you leave behind equipment, cash, and other valuables that a burglar may want to steal. Your commercial lock is the first line of defense against intrusions. However, one of the most common ways that burglars break into a store is through a door or window, so you must be aware of the common methods used to bypass locks and design your store door to prevent these intrusions. However, if a burglary does occur, you will need to assess what went wrong so you can prevent a future burglary.

Examine the Premises

Immediately after the burglary, you will need to examine the locks for signs of a forced entry for insurance purposes. Because windows are commonly used as a way to gain access to a business, you must implement locks and other security measures in these locations as well. If you discover a surprising way in which the burglar was able to enter your business, such as an entryway you hadn't conceived of, you may need to consult with a locksmith, a security company, and/or an independent contractor regarding how your business can be redesigned and secured to eliminate this vulnerability. 

Identify the Vulnerabilities with Your Locks 

You might have noticed that your doorknob lock was smashed. Doorknob locks do not provide security because they are too easy to bypass, so you will need to consult with a commercial locksmith to find a lock that provides real security, such as a deadbolt lock. Also, if you notice that the glass on one of your doors was smashed and a burglar was able reach inside and unlock the door, replace your deadbolts with double cylinder dead locks. Then, there is no latch on the other side that the burglar can flip. Instead, there is a lock that anyone on the inside must unlock to exit the building. 

Determine Whether Locks Could Have Been Used to Secure Merchandise and Equipment

Require that your employees look through all of your belongings to take an inventory of what was stolen. Then you can assess how many damages you experienced for insurance purposes. While determining what was stolen, consider what other security measures you could have implemented to make the burglar's time more challenging. For example, if you have high-end merchandise, you may want to store it in a separate room behind additional locks and other forms of security. Also, if equipment was stolen, you may have been able to secure it with a locking mechanism. Consult with a commercial locksmith from a service like Hicks Safes & Locks Inc for new ways that you can secure your business.

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