Crime During the Holidays: The Top 4 Industries That Criminals Target
The holiday season is in full swing, and so are the criminals who prey on this time of year. If your business isn’t prepared, then you could be one of the many companies that fall victim to crime. But which industries are in the most danger?
#4: Self-Storage
The self-storage business is a $5.5 billion industry. But if you are in this industry, the last thing that you want to be known for is a crime on your property. Last December, one storage facility made the local news for its lack of security.
In this story, thieves managed to steal thousands of dollars of valuables from a customer, without even breaking the lock. With nearly 50,000 self-storage businesses in the U.S., consumers have options. And they’ll choose a self-storage business that is safe and secure.
#3: The Construction Industry
Theft of construction equipment costs the industry millions of dollars each year and sadly, only about 21% of it is ever recovered. Here are a few interesting facts about theft in this industry:
- The cost of construction equipment theft ranges from $300 million to $1 billion each year.
- 5 states in the U.S. account for 45% of all construction equipment theft.
- Over 50% of builders have had their vans broken into and tools were stolen.
Tools, equipment, and even products inside a construction site are of value to criminals. They recognize that not all builders use surveillance because the sites are temporary or lack power. (Unfortunately, these builders may not realize that they could use temporary, mobile surveillance to protect these sites.)
#2: Retail
The retail industry is broad and wide. It consists of everything from grocery stores to shopping outlets to auto dealerships. Any business that is selling goods to consumers is a retail business. And criminals love to target them, especially during the holidays.
#1: Auto Dealerships
One in particular that they’ve become extremely sophisticated in robbing is auto dealerships. In 2018, $6 billion was lost to motor theft, according to the FBI. And that’s not all…
- 156 vehicles are stolen on average per day.
- Honda Civics and Honda Accords rank as the top two vehicles most commonly stolen.
- New Year’s Day has the biggest spike in stolen vehicles each year.
- There have been over $36 million in fraudulent transactions related to vehicle crime.
And organized crime during the holidays has hit an all-time high costing retail businesses $777,877 per $1 billion in sales in 2018, up 7% from the prior year with 92% of all retail businesses falling victim to it.
Pro-Vigil Can Help You Stay Safe this Holiday Season
Whether you are in retail, construction, self-storage, or virtually any other type of business, Pro-Vigil can help you keep your assets and your customers safe. We are the undisputed leaders in the security space stopping 97% of all events before they lead to crime. Don’t wait until the holidays are over to get the protection you need for your company – it may be too late. Contact Pro-Vigil today for a free quote.
