How To Keep Your NYC Business Safe During The COVID-19 Pandemic

burglaries at nyc businesses during covid-19Burglars Active During Quarantine in New York City

The Coronavirus has shut down all non-essential businesses for the last month or so. The employees of these businesses have also shut down, with the majority of these workers staying inside and practicing social distancing, as they should. However, there is one group of ‘workers’ who are not too interested in abiding by these rules. The workers I’m referring to are criminals, and they have been busier than ever during the shutdown. Although these criminals are not in a traditional line of work, they are still business savvy in certain ways. For instance, they know their target market very well. Commercial burglaries in NYC more than doubled in the month of April, rising from 210 commercial burglaries in March up to 564 in April. The burglaries are organized and have especially targeted non-essential small businesses, bodegas, and restaurants. 

Principles of Security

These developments beg the question, ‘I own a non-essential business and I’m worried about break-ins, how do I keep my assets safe during this pandemic?’ Well, the answer lies behind the understanding of two concepts. The first of these being deterrence theory and the second being the concept of a ‘path of least resistance’. Deterrence theory is based on two principles, certainty of punishment and severity of punishment. The severity of punishment is self-explanatory, so we will only cover the certainty of punishment in this article.  

Deterrence

Certainty of punishment is relevant to the criminal’s thought process. The criminal is clearly not concerned with the morality of his/her actions, but the criminal is most certainly concerned with their own self-preservation. So, the first step in deterrence is to alert the part of the criminal’s brain that doesn’t want to get caught. This is done by setting up obvious indicators that if the criminal approaches your property, they are screwed. Examples of these are clear and obvious cameras covering all portions of the property, mainly referring to the exterior. Secondly, a burglar alarm accompanied by a sign letting people know that your business is indeed equipped with such an alarm. 

Inside The Criminal’s Mind

The second concept which unlocks the key to protecting your business is the path of least resistance. This concept encompasses the idea that people prefer to go down the path of least resistance, the easiest route. This concept is true of the average person and ESPECIALLY true for the average criminal. If an individual chooses to steal instead of earn, odds are that they will choose to rob your neighbor over your business if it is perceived as easier. 

Contact Total Security

In summation, to avoid a break-in at your business during quarantine you must pay attention to the details. Send the proper signals to anyone looking at your storefront. Control perception and you will change the viewer’s reality, make sure you have implemented the measures discussed in this blog. If you do not have these measures, then give us a call at 516-775-2304 and explore our options. Or do research and render services from a competitor, either way, make sure your business has everything it needs to deter criminals.

 

Sources
https://www.politico.com/states/new-york/albany/story/2020/05/04/nyc-crime-rate-drops-during-coronavirus-but-commercial-break-ins-spike-1281986