The swim trunks are out, the cookouts have begun: summer is finally here! For many families across the country, kids are out of school and summer plans are kicking into high gear. Whether you’re laying out towels on the beach or packing for a family vacation, you’ve worked hard for your summer in the sun.
But while summer means rest and relaxation for many of us, thieves take the opportunity to get to work…a fact you can’t afford to lose sight of.
Stay Vigilant
Research indicates that crime increases in some parts of the country during summer months. There are plenty of theories and data as to what exactly causes thieves and vandals to target businesses during the summer, 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 from 2024, 71% of respondents indicated they believed crime will increase over summer vacation.
- Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot – Temperatures rise quickly and that could mean crime will trend 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 often operate in the cover of darkness, later sunsets can also mean warmer nights which allow criminals reprieve from the colder nighttime temperatures of the winter months. The extra daylight after the typical work day also provides additional time to scout locations. out locations.
The Summer Security Imperative
What drives summertime crime is up for debate. Ensuring your physical security defenses are fine-tuned and operational ahead of time is not. Security should never take a vacation.
Here are three simple precautions you can take to ensure your defenses are doing their job before you head on vacation or fire up the grill for your next barbeque:
1. Update Monitoring Hours – Are you or your employees planning time off? The likelihood is yes. 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 the proper protection no matter your plans.
2. Walk Your Site – Before you take time off, it’s a good thing 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 an opportunity for thieves? Now’s the time to take note and act.
3. Reassess Security – Security needs evolve. Have yours? 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 to discuss additional enhancements to your site, and we’ll work together to plan out measures that can add extra layers of protection.
Take Your Summer. We’ll Handle the Rest.
Because Pro-Vigil pairs AI-enabled video surveillance with trained remote monitoring teams, we ensure your property remains vigilantly monitored. Pro-Vigil’s proprietary AI is trained to recognize suspicious behavior and notify a remote guard to take a closer look so they can decide to launch deterrence features (flashing lights and loud announcements) or contact authorities when necessary.
You’ve worked hard for your vacation, so enjoy your time off! We’ll handle the rest. Any questions on how to stay secure this summer? We’re here to answer them.
