Many still risk becoming victims by failing to take precautions against internal crime, claims lock firm Mul-T-Lock.
To guard against people gaining access from the outside, alarms and CCTV are now commonplace, but many companies overlook the possibility of crimes being committed by those who already have access to the building, the firm says.
One in ten
Recent crime statistics show that one in ten businesses have suffered theft by an employee. Besides taking measures such as the rigorous checking of references, another way to reduce this risk is by making sure that a uniform, master key locking system is installed throughout the premises, it is claimed. Dion McAllister, managing director of Mul-T-Lock UK says: "By making sure that the same, quality locking system is installed throughout a building, not only will this save hassle and expense when fitting new locks, but it will also increase the security of the building from within."
A master key system allows some users to open all the locks in a building, while other users can open only designated locks. This can be invaluable, the lock firm claims, in large companies where it may be important to restrict access to specific areas of a building, for example stock rooms or rooms where sensitive data is held.
What they say
"Companies can easily control who has access to different areas of the building and can even keep track of who has been where and at what times," said Mr McAllister. "And if keys go missing, or if staff forget to return them when they leave the company, individual keys can be de-activated. What’s more, with patent-protected systems, only authorised personnel are able to obtain duplicate keys. By making an investment like this in security measures, companies will not only protect themselves from unauthorised intruders, but also from the possibility of crimes committed by those closer to home," concluded Mr McAllister.
