You have just been notified by your alarm company that your business has been broken into.
What do you need to do
?
1. Call the 911, let them know what the emergency is, provide address details of the location, and it would require police, inform them what the problem is glass break or door alarm triggered, if possible identify which door, and when it happened. Provide your telephone number in case they or the police need to contact you. Making sure that the police are dispatched and heading to your store, might help them catch the burglar.
2. Be prepared to take notes, write down if people are around your store, height, weight what they look like what they are wearing. Take notes on any vehicles close by that may be involved in the crime, license plate number, color of vehicle, type or make of vehicle. The more information you can provide the police, the better equipped they are to catch the thief.
3. You should contact your insurance company as soon as possible, to report the incident and make them aware of the incident. Provide them Time and date of the incident, and some details about the crime and inform them on damages that you see to the property, ask for instructions for filing a claim.
4. Call for emergency repairs, depending on how they broke in and the damage they may have created, you will need to get repairs done as quickly as possible so not to disrupt your business too long. Often the thieves break the glass on the doors to gain entry; this is probably the least expensive and easiest repair. Storefront windows are often custom sizes and may take a week or sometimes longer to be repaired, A few sheets of plywood are used as a temporary means to close off the store. Emergency glass companies usually have crews on the road with police scanners and often are on the scene before you call them.
Be aware and take note:
- If you or one of your staff arrive at the store and there is no police car in sight, do not park near the store, and do not enter the store incase burglar is still inside.
- Do not approach the store until police have arrived, let them, not you, enter the store first to make sure there is no further risk.
- Once the Police have done their investigation, pictures, finger prints etc. (hopefully checked your video surveillance system) and provide you with permission to now enter the premises.
- Take pictures of the store and show all the damages and areas where items were taken from, incase you need to support your claims.
- Start taking a complete inventory: Identify what was taken, look for signs of vandalism, check if other sensitive materials, work files, documents, keys etc. might have been taken.
- This is a very stressful time, and it is important to be focused and expedient with documenting and communicating to help police and your insurance company.
- Make some time to review your locations security, now that you have experienced a smash and grab break in, what can you do to prevent this from possibly happening again.
We want to help.
Our free 8 page guide with 10 critical points for securing your business also has 22 additional tips for protecting your business, will help you learn about:
- Preventative lighting
- Securing entrances and exits
- Theft deterring landscaping
- Securing offices and stock rooms
- And more.