NCJ Number
156045
Journal
Security Dealer Dated: (August 1994) Pages: 148-150,152,154-157
Date Published
1994
Length
8 pages
Annotation
Based upon a study of burglaries of businesses in three Philadelphia suburban communities, this report discusses effective measures for countering burglaries of commercial properties.
Abstract
Issues considered are burglary patterns, alarm ownership, attitudes about alarms, effective commercial security, alarm effectiveness, costs and benefits of alarms, and false alarm activations. Findings show that commercial burglary risk increases with community wealth; burglars apparently reason that the wealthier a community, the more expensive is the merchandise in the commercial establishments. After choosing the particular community, burglars look for ideal locations in which to operate. They prefer a remote location away from a major business district. Secluded areas provide more time for committing the burglary. Generally, the farther a business is located from a major thoroughfare, the greater its chance of being burglarized. Burglary of commercial establishments occurs at night or on weekends and holidays. Businesses located on or near major roads are less likely to be burglarized compared to businesses in more isolated areas. Proximity to crime-prone properties also affects a firm's risk of burglary. Locating near woods or parks more than doubles the risk of burglary. Office park suites account for 46 percent of all commercial burglaries, since they tend to be new and have expensive office equipment. Retail properties are the next most often burglarized group of businesses. Single office buildings account for 20 percent of all commercial burglaries. Alarms are the one measure that is effective in deterring burglary. Suggestions are offered for research and development and for how to reduce the number of false alarms.