If you are a local business owner, and you happen to reside in an area that has increased crime rate, you might find yourself asking questions like:
“How likely is my business fall victim to a burglary attempt?”
“What security systems do I have in place to prevent such an attempt?”
“How much do I have to lose should the attempt be successful?”
“What is it worth to me to have the highest level of protection for my store?”
The good news is that if you are asking yourself these questions, then you are on the right track to ensuring that both you and your businesses are protected from burglary attempts. Unfortunately, this scenario is a very real possibility for local businesses owners in Santa Maria and some of its surrounding areas. According to crimegrade.org, In Santa Maria, burglaries occur at a rate of 1% of total population per year. Meaning that at the current population of approximately 110,000 people, there will be about 1,100 burglaries in a given year.
What types of businesses are most at risk?
- Jewelry Stores
- Gas Station
- Supermarkets
- Convenience Stores
- Liquor Stores
Why these businesses?
There are a few reasons why these businesses are most likely to fall victim to a burglary, but these are the main 3:
- Cash on hand – Businesses like convenience stores and supermarkets will have relatively cheaper merchandise, which means that people are more likely to purchase those items with cash. Take a furniture store for example, they typically deal with large transactions and people will more often pay with check or card.
- Goods are valuable – On the other end of the spectrum, businesses that don’t carry cash but have goods that are highly valuable and easy to transport, also have high risk. Take that same furniture store for example, yes, they have valuable products, but it is much more difficult to transport a $5,000 dining room set vs. $5,000 bracelet that you would find in a jewelry store for example
- Low security threat – Businesses that are locally owned are much higher risk because they usually have a much lower level of security than those that are backed by large corporations.
How can I protect my business?
If possible, we would recommend making sure that you keep minimal cash on hand at your business and make sure to lock up all your products before leaving your business. However, we understand that due to the nature of some businesses, this can’t always be done. This is where a product like security film can come to the rescue! Briefly touched on in one of our other blog posts, security film is a type of commercial window film that can offer varying levels of security tailored to your business’ needs. The extra strength film is installed on the inside of your business’ windows and holds all the glass in place in the event someone tries to break in. This serves 2 purposes:
- It will deter those who are trying to get in and out of your business quickly without trying to draw any attention.
- It will give police a longer to respond to the break-in and a greater chance to apprehend the burglar.
In addition to the film’s strength, if you want to add privacy, you can make the film as dark or as light as you want. So, if you wanted to hide your valuables and/or merchandise, you have the option of getting darker window film to do so. Security film will complement any current security systems you have in place and help to maximize the level protection possible for your assets.
These are the types of businesses that could likely benefit from security window film. If you are considering getting your business tinted, call us for an expert opinion and a FREE estimate!
At Apex Auto Glass and Tinting, we stay up to date with new technologies in the window film industry and have knowledgeable experts to help you decide what benefits you need for your business.
