Visible Security Is The Best Security
As technology advances so the ways that people try to catch thieves and criminals changes and improves. We are very good at it. We have all seen episodes of CSI, know somebody who has a fancy security system that comes with all sorts of video or people who have tracking devices installed in their cars or on their mobile devices. But these are all measures that are used to catch criminals once they have perpetuated a crime. The reality is that prevention is better than cure and that it is a whole lot cheaper and more efficient to simply prevent a crime from happening in the first place. There are many ways to do this, but visibility is one of the simplest deterrents. Here are a few simple things that you can do to help keep undesirable elements and activities away from your home or office.
Visible policing
The more actual presence that you have either on the premises or in the vicinity, the better. While you cannot expect the police to be there the whole time there is no reason why you shouldn’t hire your own security guard, or security guards to patrol the area. These are people who can be permanently stationed on your premises or they can work in the area. They don’t need to be an elite force of crack commandos. They just need to be alert and honest. They are there to keep the peace and to act as a deterrent. They are not going to intervene in the event of an armed robbery, they simply are not trained for that, but they are eyes and ears on eth ground and they should be able to sound the warning long before things escalate. It is amazing how effective it is to have these people around.
Signage
Because you cannot have security everywhere all the time, you should erect signs letting people know about all the security that you have – even if you don’t really have it. Studies have shown that simply erecting a ‘beware of the dog’ sign is as effective as actually owning a dog. And your signs can warn of the presence of cameras, animals or armed response. Whatever it is, the simple fact that the sign is there puts doubt in the mind of the criminal.
Signs of life
Criminals like predictable situations. They feel that they can manage these and control them. They do not like a lot of coming and going or of moving parts. So, make sure that whatever it is that you are looking to protect is well integrated within a community or environment. No need for high walls. Plenty of space for animals. An abundance of human presence. It is this type of unpredictability that tends to confound criminals and sees them moving along quickly to something that is quieter and more predictable. And if your whole neighbourhood, or community, is able to work together to foster this environment, you will soon discover that the criminal element has simply moved along to somewhere else.
