If you own a traditional bricks and mortar business a vital part of your armoury is CCTV. It can be a major contributor to helping prevent crime on your premises in the first instance, and provide vital information to the police if a crime is committed.

Why your business needs CCTV security - a preventative investment

CCTV is not expensive equipment to install, but it can save you a lot of heartache. Provided it is sited in an obvious position it will prevent many crimes for the simple reason that thieves will not take the risk of being spotted if they know that you are looking at them.

A very typical example of what could have prevented a crime is a typical case in the UK recently where a convenience store owner was burgled in the middle of the night. He had an automatic door which was forced open by intruders using a jemmy; they then ransacked his stock of cigarettes which they scooped off the shelves into a large sack.

The store owner was asleep above the premises, heard the noise and came downstairs by which time it was too late. He lost $15,000 worth of stock in just one minute and thirty four seconds. (Fortunately, he was covered by insurance). Police know this because he had CCTV inside his store.

However, what he did not have was CCTV outside his store. Just one additional camera mounted in a prominent position high above the shop would probably have prevented the crime because the thieves would have been too worried about their getaway car license plate being recorded.

Although the store owner didn't have that one extra camera, at least he had 24 hour monitoring inside the store. It is all very well having CCTV monitoring your store when the shop is open in order to prevent or detect shoplifting, but it is necessary to remember that criminals don’t just work during opening hours.

24 hour monitoring is absolutely essential if you are to protect yourself against crime as much as you possibly can.

CCTV and your business staff

Even if your business is office based, CCTV will help to prevent and detect crime. For example, petty pilfering in a large office will be prevented if staff know that they are on camera.

It can also help staff to feel more secure when they come into contact with visitors/customers/patients who can often turn nasty and vent their feelings on staff who are actually there to assist them. Again, a highly visible CCTV security camera will in many cases prevent a problem in the first place.

CCTV can also help to improve productivity. For instance, if you have a factory with CCTV installed, machine operators who might decide that it is time to slip away outside for a cigarette will be far less likely to do so if they know that their absence will be spotted.

A good CCTV security system can also help to reduce your insurance premiums. You will probably get a better quote if your insurers know that you have taken every precaution you can towards preventing crime, and thus reducing the likelihood of their having to pay out on a claim.

HD CCTV - is it worth it?

It is also well worthwhile investing in the latest HD (High Definiton) security cameras. If the worst comes to the worst and a crime is committed, anything that helps the police to solve it is a great bonus.

For example, an 18x HD security camera can read a license plate easily from as much as 200 m away. In this instance, the criminal may not even be aware that there is a camera in place, and give himself away simply through ignorance.

Furthermore, in circumstances where it is necessary to identify a face, or, say, identify a customer’s purchases at the point of sale, an HD or megapixel network camera will provide a resolution which is at least three times better than an analogue camera.

Having said that, any camera is better than no camera, and it simply makes sense to protect yourself to the greatest extent possible by the use of CCTV at your business premises.

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We have spent the last 30 years protecting homes and businesses with up-to-date, reliable and cost-effective CCTV systems. For a FREE site survey, please get in touch with our Kent or London team today.