Peeling the onion: layers of security prevent crime

Burglar alarms and security cameras are traditional security options, but should not be considered a total security solution.

There is good evidence that alarms and cameras act as a deterrent to crime. However, they do not actually prevent an intruder from entering. These types of measures provide psychological safety barriers.

Most crimes happen in minutes. Check with your local police department, many will disclose typical response time for alarms (which are monitored); In most cases it’s not great. The fact that so many alarms are actually false makes burglar alarms a lower priority, as well as making it increasingly difficult for local police to get there on time. You may be surprised to learn that even private security, who should be able to get there before the police, can take 20 minutes or more to get to a crime scene.

In this amount of time, any criminal with marginal experience will have walked in, taken valuables, and left.

There was a time, not long ago, when homeowners didn’t feel the need to lock their doors. Come to think of it, many still forget to lock their doors. This is the most basic security measure you can take to protect your facility. Your door and lock are the first “physical barrier” to illegal entry. Leaving a door unlocked and valuables like car keys, purse, or notebook nearby (particularly for those with a window in the door or sidelights) is a recipe for becoming a victim of theft.

My dad used to say, “Locks make honest people honest.” Police and locksmiths will tell you that most conventional locks, particularly those on the door handle, can be easily picked. If you don’t already have one, install a deadbolt. Also talk to a reputable locksmith in your area about alternatives to key locks.

Even with a decent lock on your door, burglars can break into homes and businesses. Most break-ins occur through glass. In a residential setting, a glass window in the door or a sidelight will allow a thief to pick your lock simply by breaking the glass and reaching in and unlocking the door. If the front door is too exposed, any glass window or door is temptingly vulnerable to a burglar smashing in and grabbing it.

The same applies to commercial buildings with glass storefronts or glass windows in the doors. Many shutters with glass doors will install security bars or doors. However, these doors are not very useless if a thief can get there and open the door himself. Traders should invest in a lock with a removable thumb twist or key on both sides.

Gates and bars are an excellent physical barrier for your facilities, whether commercial or residential. However, many do not like its appearance. Homeowners and high-end stores may find them particularly objectionable. However, they are valuable and can and should be used where aesthetics allow (basement windows and back entrances, for example). Make sure the bars are installed correctly and comply with your local fire code.

Another much newer and more advanced security barrier entering the market is glass security films. Polyester films adhere to existing glass, creating a barrier to intruders, “like invisible bars,” says Apex Window Films owner Dean Avey. According to Avey, security film removes a thief’s primary requirements, ease and speed. “An intruder can hit the glass with a rock or a crowbar, or whatever he has with him. If he hits it a few times and finds he can’t get in, he’s likely to leave; a lot of noise and thieves don’t want that kind of attention”.

While glass does crack, the film and its bonding agents hold the window or door together to prevent shattering.

“It works well in combination with bars,” says Avey, who offers security solutions for residential and commercial properties in the Toronto area. “There have been incidents in stores where thieves broke the glass, chained the bars to a truck and took out the whole door. They couldn’t do this if they couldn’t get through the glass.”

Look at safety in terms of layers, like peeling an onion; the later, the more likely you are to end up crying. As Avey says, “Security is all about layers of protection; the more layers you have, the more frustrated a would-be intruder becomes.”

There is no ‘silver bullet’ when it comes to security (although, by the way, there are window films that make glass bullet resistant). Effective when used in conjunction with other barriers. The type and number of barrier solutions you use will depend on your specific security needs. Thwart thieves by depriving them of their greatest asset, quick and easy entry, and improve your chances of No becoming a victim.