Break out the swim trunks and light those grills – summer is nearly here! School is already out for many across the country with summer plans kicking into high gear. Whether you’re hitting the beach or packing for a family vacation, you deserve to enjoy some fun in the sun.
While summer means rest and relaxation for many, for thieves it signals time to get to work: a fact you can’t afford to lose sight of.
Don’t Let Your Guard Down
Research indicates that crime increases in some parts of the country during the summer months. Why might that be? There are varying theories and data on what exactly causes thieves and vandals to target businesses during this time, including:
- School Vacation – Some believe that school vacation may be linked to increased theft and vandalism, with kids more likely to commit crimes with more time on their hands. In a Pro-Vigil LinkedIn poll last year, 71% of respondents indicated they believe crime will increase over summer vacation.
- Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot – Temperatures are heating up fast and that could mean crime is trending with it. A University of Southern California study examined crime data from Los Angeles and found that overall crime increases by 2.2% and violent crime by 5.7% on days when maximum daily temperatures exceed 85 degrees.
- More Sun, More Opportunity – Although criminals love the cover of night, later sunsets can also mean warmer nights. This offers criminals a reprieve from the colder temperatures they may face during winter months. The extra daylight also provides prime time to scout locations.
Take Security Seriously This Summer
The reasons behind summertime crime can be debated. The need to make sure your physical security defenses are fine-tuned ahead of time cannot. You deserve to enjoy the summer months just like everyone else. But security can never take a vacation.
Here are three simple steps you can take to make sure your defenses are doing their job before you head off on vacation or plan your next barbeque:
1. Update Monitoring Hours – Are you or your employees planning time off? Changes in summer schedules? Make sure to let Pro-Vigil know of any changes in monitoring hours or update planned site activity in the Pro-Vigil app to ensure proper protection no matter your plans.
2. Walk Your Site – Before you take any time off, now’s a good reminder to walk your site and look for anything out of the ordinary. Are cameras clean and free of blind spots? Any holes in fencing or other “weak spots” that could present opportunity for thieves? Now’s the time to take note and act.
3. Reassess Security – Have your security needs changed? Maybe you have a new area of the property you’d like monitored or inventory and assets have shifted. Pro-Vigil is always here to help. Please reach out to our team any time to discuss additional enhancements to your site and we’ll work together to plan out additional measures that can add extra layers of protection.
Enjoy Summer. We’ll Handle the Rest.
Because Pro-Vigil pairs artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled video surveillance with trained remote monitoring teams, we ensure your property remains secure – no matter the season. Pro-Vigil’s proprietary AI recognizes suspicious behavior and notifies a remote guard to take a closer look so they can decide to launch deterrence features (think flashing lights and loud announcements sending criminals running) or contact authorities when necessary.
Take that summer vacation or clock out early for a spontaneous beach day with the kids. Let us handle the rest. Have questions on how to stay secure this summer? Our team is here to help.
