This week, the technology headlines have been dominated by Pokemon Go.

The new augmented reality game has now officially been released in the UK, but fans who couldn’t wait were able to get their hands on the game early by doing a bit of digging online.

So we have already been seeing the effects of this game right here in Kent.

Groups of Pokemon Trainers have been congregating around areas known as Pokestops and Gyms.

These in-game areas are usually located on random businesses and landmarks and offer bonuses to players who are nearby.

For business owners, this means your premises could have been selected as a location for a Pokestop or Gym without you even realising.

Find out more about how Pokemon Go has affected residential security here. 

The problem is random people, sometimes in groups, appearing outside your premises at all hours of the day. To put this craze in perspective, we've outlined some potential problems that could arise and our solutions to stop this from becoming a security risk for businesses:

Now, the Pokemon Go fans we've had chancy encounters with have generally been a nice bunch of people. They're mostly just following the rules of the game, filling their Pokedex, wearing their cap backwards and trying to become the very best.

So how do they become a security risk for businesses?

Intimidating Your Customers

When players gather in large groups though, this can be intimidating for your customers and employees. How do you deal with this without seeming like a kill joy?

Well, some businesses have utilised this and are welcoming these potential new customers in - benefiting from of this new craze, find out more here.

So how do you deal with this when your business isn't open?

Pokestops = Vandal Havens And A Security Risk For Businesses

Groups of teenagers are almost always stereotyped as being vandals. While some might believe that this game will give them a different outlet, a more cynical view says that this game will just cause them to relocate - outside your business.

If these groups of teenagers appear after hours, you'll need to be keeping an eye on your premises to ensure it doesn't get vandalised!

Our solution? Monitored CCTV to provide a deterrent.

Criminals Could Take Advantage of Pokemon Go

It's not just petty teenage vandalism you'll have to worry about either. Criminals have already been caught taking advantage of the game, with stories of people being mugged at gun point when visiting isolated Pokestops and Gyms.

Not many businesses will want to be associated with being a crime ridden mugging station! If your business is a Pokestop, a CCTV system could go a long way in dissuading criminal activity outside.

Unfortunately, these ghastly people will continue to use Pokemon Go to their advantage, figuring out new ways to exploit unsuspecting victims.

Distraction Burglary

Distraction burglary could be a prime example. It won't be long before that big group of Pokemon Trainers at the Pokestop outside your business is used as a distraction by a burglar to break into your premises. Or, if they get caught snooping around, they can use the game as an excuse.

Pokemon Trainers will become a fantastic disguise for the burglar who pretends he's catching Pokemon, while he's actually scoping out your business for security weaknesses. Both access control and zonal burglar alarms could help your business in this situation.

Don't Get Caught Out: Protect Your Business From Pokemon Go

As the way burglars operate evolves, so should your security measures.

With a CCTV system you can keep an eye on your business 24/7, so if anything happens - you'll know straight away.  Combine this with an intruder alarm that can be set zonally, and access control for those particularly valuable rooms, and you'll begin to nullify this new security risk for businesses.

To protect your business, get a free site survey from our engineers so we can devise a security solution that's tailored to your needs, give us a call today.