When you experience a break-in on your property, it can be terrifying and jarring, and it can make you feel like you’re suddenly vulnerable. It’s in this state that you can make a wrong move that has the power to make or break the future of your business.
Imagine the following scenario takes place:
You’re the manager of a multi-tenant commercial property, where each tenant is linked by a common delivery area. After a break-in, you and your tenants believe it occurred because one tenant forgot to lock their doors, allowing access to every other tenant in the building.
You understandably want to pay for damages, and the tenants become suspicious of each other, creating a toxic environment. Eventually, tenants start leaving because they don’t feel safe or respected. Now, your reputation is ruined and your occupancy is at an all-time low.
As you can see in the above fictionalized example, bad responses to security threats can drag a business down quickly. To help you make the right decisions, we’ve compiled a list of the top three things not to do after you’ve experienced a break-in.
1) Act Without a Plan
In a bad situation, it’s all too easy for things to get worse based on how it’s handled. That’s why letting your emotions take over is one of the worst ways to handle a break-in. Burglaries can make you feel understandably angry, scared, suspicious, and frustrated. Yet, none of those feelings will lead you to practical decisions.
An angry business owner might point fingers at blameless employees, who leave because they don’t feel respected. Or, a frustrated HOA manager might lash out at tenants for letting unauthorized vehicles through a security gate, leading to poor relationships between the HOA and the residents.
The best way to handle a break-in is to start preparing for it now. While the most effective solution is a security system customized to your property and your needs, creating a security plan is completely free and can help you figure out the next steps when you do experience a break-in.
Here’s how to create a security plan:
- Assess your property’s risk by considering vulnerable access points, unoccupied hours, or shared common areas.
- Identify what’s most valuable to you, whether it’s physical products, information, or the property itself.
- Determine if threats to your property are going up or down because of local issues, like an increase in foot traffic or transient populations.
- Practice good prevention by checking in with employees on a regular basis, testing security systems, and updating your security plan every year.
- Invest in a custom surveillance system that addresses your specific concerns.
Don’t let the emotions of a break-in define your response. Instead follow your security plan, call the authorities and your insurance company, and take it one step at a time.
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2) Underestimate the Need to Take Inventory |
After a break-in, most property managers just want to move on and return to normal. But the period right after an incident is critical if you want to take advantage of your insurance coverage or police involvement. As tempting as it is to just clean up and move on, take a second and look around.
Whether the break-in resulted in theft, vandalism, or just simple trespassing, it’s important to take inventory and make detailed notes to pass on to your insurance company and the authorities.
3) Let It Happen Again
The biggest mistake you can make after a break-in is to do nothing. A break-in proves that your property is at risk, that you have vulnerabilities that aren’t being addressed, and that you need to reevaluate your security plan.
Security solutions like surveillance cameras, remote guarding services, and access control can eliminate your risks and protect your property. Without the right protocols in place, you leave your business open to future attacks. Investing in remote guarding services ensures your property is being watched at all times — so you can sleep more soundly.
Don’t wait until it happens to you. Start learning about your options today by requesting your free remote guarding services quote.