You’ve spent a lot of time and money building your business, and there is nothing more saddening and frustrating than someone breaking in and taking it all away. A burglary can be devastating and detrimental to you and your business. Knowing what to do in the event of a burglary and taking the right steps can help you recover your losses and return to normal operations quickly. Here are a few crucial steps to begin your road to recovery.
1. Call the police and file a report
It seems like common sense, but it’s not always a step followed immediately or with the right precautions. As soon as you notice that your business has been broken into, contact the authorities and file a report. Do not enter the building until after it has been cleared by police. Rather, get into a safe place, notify law enforcement, and deter other employees from entering. When the police arrive you will want to give them all the information you have that will be helpful in their investigation. If you have security cameras, allow the authorities to review any footage that may have captured information about the incident. Being quick, timely and orderly is the most important!
2. Review inventory and damages
Once you have been cleared by the authorities to enter the building, do a thorough review of your inventory and damages. You may be overwhelmed in the wake of what has just happened, so take photos of any damage and make a list of missing inventory to refer back to later when talking to the insurance company or authorities. Be thorough.
3. Call your insurance company
All businesses should have an insurance policy that covers theft and vandalism. Contact your insurance provider to determine coverage in terms of your losses. They may need additional information from you such as: a police report, a documentation of your losses, or the date and time the incident occurred. Once again, being quick and timely is critically important.
4. Get back on track
A break-in can put a major hold on your business operations while you deal with the anxiety, vulnerability, and frustration it can cause. Try to maintain a regular schedule, and get things back in working order as quickly as possible. Clean up damages, replace windows, doors, or locks that were tampered with, and consider reviewing safety protocol with your staff. While it may not always be necessary to share break-in or event related information with your staff, providing any clarity and assurance will help them feel safe and secure in their responsibilities and well-being as well. This is also a perfect opportunity for a extensive security and safety evaluation.
5. Get a security system
If you do not have a security system in place, now would be the time to consider installing one! We often preach that installing a security system before an incident is one of the best ways to avoid burglaries altogether. At EPS security we believe that a comprehensive burglary and intrusion alarm system not only protects your inventory and assets, but it helps your customers and employees feel safe as well. After experiencing the physical and emotional loss that a burglary causes, you’ll never want to have to go through it again.
EPS Security can help you regain your feeling of safety and security. You worry about your business enough, you shouldn’t have to worry about security as well. Let us take care of that for you! Click the link below for more information about what EPS Security can do for you.
