Analysis of crime statistics shows that the number of robberies, burglaries and thefts soar over the Christmas fortnight. Every day of the holidays, criminals commit around 500 burglaries, 75 robberies and over 1,000 thefts.
It is thought that an increase in Christmas crimes could be caused by people leaving their homes to visit relatives. For this reason, police often urge families not to advertise the expensive items they received as gifts by putting out packaging on the street for refuse collection.
But what about the threat for businesses? If you’re shutting down over the Christmas period, they’ll be nobody around to prevent crime from occurring. Then again, if your business depends on seasonal trade, you’ll have even more cash and stock on the premises for thieves to target.
With this in mind, here’s a closer look at crimes to be wary of as a business owner this Christmas, as well as ways in which you can protect your most valuable assets.
Common crimes at Christmas
- Theft – Both domestic and commercial. Thieves take advantage of the fact that several properties and premises are unattended over Christmas. Shorter days also means darker mornings and evenings, which makes it easier for criminals to go undetected.
- Robberies – Christmas is a time to be merry. Unfortunately, increased alcohol and drug consumption means that innocent members of the public are more vulnerable to robberies.
- Employee crime – This is especially true for businesses that need to hire more employees because of the busy festive season. Getting numbers on the ground is often more important than carrying out background checks on members of staff.
- Cybercrime – Millions of online transactions take place at this time of year. With so much confidential information being exchanged, cybercriminals can’t resist targeting vulnerable IT systems and infrastructures.
- Supply/warehouse fraud – Incoming and outgoing stock is difficult to keep track of at the best at times, let alone during Christmas. Certain fraudsters will fudge supply chain numbers in their favour.
How to protect your business
- Assess and evaluate crime – If you keep track of the times, dates and locations of where crime is taking place, you should be able to identify patterns of behaviour. This will help you deploy appropriate security measures in the right place, at the right time.
- Meet and greet customers – Not only will a security presence at your building’s entrance deter criminals in the first instance, it can also make customers and clients feel much more comfortable.
- Have staff work together – Criminals will be far less likely to attempt a crime if multiple people are on your property or premises. Encourage staff to work together over the Christmas period for better, round-the-clock security.
- Hire a security firm – If you’re not sure what security measure would best suit your business, or simply want more help on how to stay safe this festive season, get in touch with Access Facilities Management and we’ll ensure you have a very Merry Christmas.
