Every business needs to be aware of the different types of criminal threats so that they can protect themselves adequately. Here are some of the most common crimes committed against businesses and what you can do to guard yourself against them.

Burglary

Burglary is still very common, affecting up to 9% of small businesses in recent years. How likely you are to get burgled can depend on your location, the type of premises and the nature of your business (retail businesses are common targets because there is often cash on-site).

Measures such as exterior lighting, security cameras and burglar alarms can often be enough to deter burglars. It’s worth also checking that windows and doors are locked. Storing valuables such as cash in a fixed safe overnight meanwhile can ensure that even in the event of a burglary, your most precious items aren’t stolen. Meanwhile, as a final measure, commercial property insurance can be worth taking out to cover the costs of any third-party damage to your premises as well as loss of contents.

Cybercrime

Cybercrime is on the rise and small businesses make up 58% of victims. There are many different types of cybercrime including data theft from hacking, ransomware attacks and email scams.

Using strong passwords, regularly updating software and using trusted security screening tools can help you to stay safe against the bulk of cybercrime. It could also be worth outsourcing managed IT services to help monitor your network. Cybersecurity insurance could also be worth considering to compensate you for damage caused by any other unforeseen threats.

Employee Theft

Your employees are a threat that is also worth considering. This could include cash being stolen from a till or equipment being stolen.

Installing security cameras in your premises can help to detect this behaviour. You may also be able to do background checks on employees before hiring them to check that they have no previous criminal convictions.

Customer Theft

Customers may also try to steal from you. The most common example of this is shoplifting which affects most retail companies.

Security cameras may be enough to put off some thieves, but you can also consider adding alarmed security scanners to your entrance or hiring a security guard during busy periods. Try to also train employees to detect shoplifting and act accordingly.

Customer Fraud

A lot of businesses are also victims of customer fraud in which customers will try to extort money through deception. This could involve a customer using a fake identity to gain free access to products or services. Fake injury and negligence claims can also be something to look out for – this could include pretend to fall and injure oneself on a wet floor to gain compensation or claiming a product wasn’t delivered to an address when it was.

This can be a complex crime that may require various different security measures depending on the type of fraud. To protect against fake identity usage, credit checks and security questions could be useful for some businesses. CCTV meanwhile can be useful for spotting faking injury claims, while getting customers to sign for packages can prevent fake claims of undelivered items.