Tips: Crime Proof Your Office

  • Mar 23, 2009
Universal Protection Service offers tips to crime proof your office.
  • Allow limited access to the space; use only one entry while allowing for the appropriate number of emergency exits. Do not leave hallway doors unlocked.
  • Keep your office doors locked and control who comes in, especially if you are alone.
  • Keep reception area monitored during all working hours, particularly during office hours of 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and just before and after closing. It is important to make sure that the reception area is covered during lunch hours as this is a notorious time for office thefts.
  • Request company identification of all persons entering the office to perform servicing or repairs. Before allowing entry make certain that service was requested.
  • Prohibit access by people who do not have the name of the specific employee on whom they are calling.
  • Do not allow removal of equipment by anyone without first obtaining proper authorization by your company supervisor.
  • Do not allow messenger services into office areas or pass the reception desk. Do not keep items to be sent by messenger out in the open.
  • Never hang valuable coats in easily accessible closets in waiting rooms or uncontrolled locations.
  • Train all employees to keep wallets, purses and other valuables locked in a drawer. Thieves know to look under desks, in jackets hanging behind your door, and in other obvious spots.
  • Lock up laptops and notebook computers.
  • Never invite solicitors into your office. They may be simply doing some “window shopping” and memorizing the layout of your office.
  • Restrooms should be locked. Tenants already in the restrooms should not give access to any one they do not know. The receptionist should never give out keys to the restroom unless the person is a legitimate visitor.
  • Always notify security when you work late. This will assist in notification if a building emergency occurs and will alert the security officer to keep watch over you. Call security when you are ready to leave the office so th officer will expect you in the lobby.
  • Notify security of any suspicious people in the hallways, common areas, or your office space.
  • Consider installing visible cameras in lobby, hallways and exits.
  • Never enter a door that has been pried open. If a door seems forced open after hours, do not enter the space alone. Go back to the lobby security station and advise the security officer who will call police and other security personnel.
  • Remember, confront a stranger with a simple “May I Help you?” has stopped more theft than we will ever know.
  • An employee should always escort visitors entering and exiting the office suite.

Featured

  • Empowering and Securing a Mobile Workforce

    What happens when technology lets you work anywhere – but exposes you to security threats everywhere? This is the reality of modern work. No longer tethered to desks, work happens everywhere – in the office, from home, on the road, and in countless locations in between. Read Now

  • TSA Introduces New $45 Fee Option for Travelers Without REAL ID Starting February 1

    The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced today that it will refer all passengers who do not present an acceptable form of ID and still want to fly an option to pay a $45 fee to use a modernized alternative identity verification system, TSA Confirm.ID, to establish identity at security checkpoints beginning on February 1, 2026. Read Now

  • The Evolution of IP Camera Intelligence

    As the 30th anniversary of the IP camera approaches in 2026, it is worth reflecting on how far we have come. The first network camera, launched in 1996, delivered one frame every 17 seconds—not impressive by today’s standards, but groundbreaking at the time. It did something that no analog system could: transmit video over a standard IP network. Read Now

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.