Measures To Take If Someone Breaks into Your Office

Are you prepared if someone breaks into your office? Check out these safety tips from the experts at Speedy Locksmith.

Being the victim of a break-in at home or work is traumatizing. As a business owner or manager, it can also mean severe financial repercussions and jeopardize your peace of mind. Luckily, by taking these steps immediately following an office break-in, you’ll be able to recuperate and take measures to prevent future security breaches.

Call the Police

If you even think there’s a chance your building has been broken into, call the police as soon as possible. That way, they can investigate and ensure it’s safe for you and your employees to enter.

Repair Windows, Doors & Locks

If any windows, doors, or locks were broken during the burglary, immediately get that area fixed and sealed. Not addressing these areas leaves you vulnerable to future break-ins.

Assess What Happened

Please gather any security footage from your facility or surrounding buildings of the break-in. Note the date and time it occurred, as well as any identifying characteristics of the perpetrator, if possible.

Take Inventory

Draw up a list of what was taken and its estimated value. This will come in handy for keeping track of your belongings and filing a police report.

File an Official Incident Report

Before contacting your insurance company, you need to file an incident report with the police. The information that you have gathered will be used for this purpose.

Notify Your Insurance Company

Once you have filed a police report, contact your insurance company. They will need a copy of the police report and other pertinent information regarding what was stolen or damaged.

Speak with Your Staff

Your employees aren’t the only ones who feel anxious after a break-in – you probably do, too. Talk to your team and tell them you’re there for them. But before you do so, devise a plan of action and a new security strategy to communicate this effectively to everyone involved.

Improve Your Security

After you’ve had a break-in, developing a new security plan is crucial. To get started on this process, reach out to The Speedy Locksmith. We not only have the latest security equipment but can also teach you how to use it once we assess your building.

One successful break-in, unfortunately, makes your office even more vulnerable to a repeat offense. Additionally, during a break-in, those inside the building feel uneasiness and discomfort, while employees, customers, and others who did not present suffer anxiety afterward. If your office is ever broken into, you must take immediate action to secure the area and develop a strategic plan to prevent future incidents.

Steps To Get Back In Control After A Break-In

Here are eight steps that will help you get back in control right away after a break-in:

1.   Call the police

Remember, most non-residential crimes happen at nightfall, according to the FBI’s Crime in the US report. So if you ever get an alarm notification after office hours, never try going into the building yourself. You don’t want to take any chances and come face-to-face with a burglar who might still be inside. Just contact the police right away, and they will inspect the building for you. Your safety and co-workers should always be the top priority here.

2.   Protect against further theft (short-term)

According to studies, 58% of all burglaries happen when the criminal forcefully enters the building through a window or door. So if this happens to you, you must get the point of entry repaired immediately to prevent another break-in from happening shortly. But before you fix everything, take pictures of the damage! They could come in handy later when you file a police report or insurance claim.

If there’s no sign of a break-in, the thief probably had a key or got access to an electronic key card or password. In any case, it’s safest to change all the passwords and locks in case the burglar got this information while they were inside. Lastly, see if there are any electronic breaches. If the intruder got ahold of anyone’s laptops or mobile devices, is not only your company’s data security at risk but also that of your employees and clients?

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3.   Communicate internally

It would help if you let your co-workers know when a break-in happens as soon as possible. Although everyone will be on edge, remember to follow these communication tips:

1. Let them know that you have the plan to recover from this and prevent future incidents.
2. Your employees need to be aware of office security procedures. Share an updated security plan with them so they know what steps they can take to help keep the workplace safe. Everyone has a role to play in keeping the office secure.
3. People must have a safe space to hand over any evidence they may find or give more details that can help law enforcement. If anybody lost keys or notepads with security codes, they must feel comfortable coming forward without fearing repercussions like being blamed, punished, or fired. Furthermore, by gathering this data, you’ll be able to make your security program stronger and lower the probability of future incidents.‍

4.   Determine what was stolen

If something of yours is stolen or damaged, create a comprehensive report containing information such as: what was taken/damaged, how much it would cost to replace the item, whom it belonged to initially, and most importantly – the serial number. Without this list, you will not be able to file for an incident report. Don’t erase any data from stolen devices immediately—wait until you talk to the police. They might be able to use the IP address to find the individuals who stole the device(s).

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5.   Investigate what went wrong

Review any security footage from the time of the incident, starting with their point of entry. If possible, take note of their appearance and features and what they’re wearing. This will help identify them later on. If you don’t have camera footage of the point of entry, check any external street-side footage for suspicious activity. Some things to look out for are: somebody lurking outside the building or an unrecognizable vehicle parked by the building during the incident. Always keep in mind the 5 W’s of reporting when dealing with suspicious behavior:

• What is happening?
• Who is doing it?
• Where is it taking place?
• When did you observe it?
• What makes this person or situation suspicious? (Are they hiding their face or identity in some way? Is the car parked oddly, blocking traffic, or for an unusually long time?)‍

After that, grab any access control records from around that time. Ponder the following:

Were there any outside visitors or staff members this week in the building?

It’s common for more experienced thieves to scout the premises ahead of time. They may have even visited your building on one or several occasions before committing the crime. 

Collecting this data will help you put the pieces together to understand what happened more clearly.‍

File an incident report

If you want to have a chance at filing an insurance claim later, it is best to help the police make as detailed a report as possible. Following steps 2-5, you should already have the information they will require.

If you, unfortunately, have experienced a break-in, The Speedy Locksmith wants to help you; we’re only a phone call away. And even if you haven’t had an intruder yet, please give us a call as well. We would be more than happy to assess your security system and provide recommendations on improving it with items such as security cameras or an access control system. By