10 Break-In Prevention Tips For Commercial Properties

With an increase in breaking and entering – including mail theft, auto theft, and commercial break-ins around Austin, Texas – Cothron’s shares tips on how to keep property safe. 

A Shortage Of Police
In September 2023, due to staffing shortages and an increase in crime, the Austin Police Department shared on social media that residents should call 311 instead of 911 if robbed. “The post was intended for victims of a jugging in general and not specific to robberies. Jugging is a form of theft that includes both robbery and burglary. It occurs when a suspect follows a victim from a bank to their next location before committing the crime,” the department stated, as reported by Fox News. 
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Austin Police Association President Thomas Villarreal told Fox & Friends, “We're a growing city, a city that should be up around 2,000 officers…I've got about 1,475 officers in our police department and, you know, we're moving in the wrong direction.”

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An Increase In Mail & Auto Theft
During this past holiday season, postal workers left notes in mailboxes around Austin, urging people to check their mail daily, in order to cut down on theft.

​A United States Postal Service press release stated earlier last year that “incidents of letter carrier robberies are on the rise across the nation. In FY22, 412 USPS letter carriers were robbed on the job. With 305 incidents reported in the first half of FY23, these incidents are increasingly more prevalent. Additionally, the agency reported an increase in high-volume mail theft incidents from mail receptacles including blue collection boxes: 38,500 in FY22 and more than 25,000 in the first half of FY23.”

Late last year, KXAN reported on Austin’s auto thefts, detailing stories of a victim who had her car stolen, added a steering wheel club, and had to deal with a thief trying to steal it again, as well as a victim whose car was stolen from his gated apartment complex, though his case was closed, since there were no witnesses or surveillance videos.

KXAN went on to say that between January 1, 2022 and October 5, 2023, the Austin Police Department looked into 10,234 auto theft cases, and there were arrests in only 809 of them. “In Austin, many suspects are teens who receive little-to-no sentences, allowing them to continually re-offend.”

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A Continuation Of The Problem…& Some Helpful Hints
Now, in February 2024, the problems continue. 

Mail theft – which can lead to identities being stolen and further financial-related crimes – is being seen more and more across the city and country. Postal workers’ keys regularly go missing or get stolen, specifically arrow keys, which allow entry into any/all mailboxes. 

Cothron’s is seeing an increase in calls from corporate customers who have suffered break-ins. Thieves are targeting lock boxes and stealing master keys, leaving many wanting to rekey entire commercial buildings.
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When it comes to cutting down on the chances of having property broken into or belongings stolen, keep the following security tips in mind:

1. Keep doors and windows locked at all times. During the day, consider allowing entry with an access control system (detailed below), and during non-business hours, make sure everything is locked up tight.
2. Install motion lights. These are great for exterior doors, as they illuminate spaces and can scare trespassers away. 
3. Store keys in an inconspicuous place. As mentioned, many instances of forced entry come about due to keys being taken from lock boxes. And many commercial buildings have these near their front doors, as a way to let in deliveries and contractors. One idea is to not make the box/key so visible.
4. Remove keys altogether. Another idea is to forgo keys and enter/exit a different way – such as swiping a card on a badge reader or entering a code on a keypad.
5. Increase security with cameras. Homes and businesses alike turn to security cameras that provide real-time monitoring of the area.
6. Add in alarms. Similarly, business owners and property managers can get 24/7 professional monitoring and technology through Cothron’s, powered by Alarm.com, including notifications if the system is left unarmed or if it’s triggered. 
7. Utilize smart landscaping. On top of these physical security features, some turn to certain types of plants and trees (think prickly and hard-to-climb versions) and place them in front of windows. 
8. Know who has access. Employees come and go, and even if someone leaves on an amicable note, you never know where duplicate keys may end up. As your staff changes, so should your locks.
9. Upgrade current hardware. Due to the heavy traffic inherent to many commercial doors, handles, locks, hinges, deadbolts, closers, and exit devices can wear down quickly. A locksmith can come in, assess your current system, check for signs of any structural weaknesses, recommend upgrades, and get new solutions installed. These may include solidly constructed doors with drill-resistant materials, door frames that can’t be jimmied, cover plates that add armored protection (seen below), and high-security locks. “No lock is 100% burglar proof, but the longer and harder a burglar finds it to break in, [the more likely it is that] they will give up and run to another business,” shares Ray Lopez, one of our road technicians. “Also a big dog will work, too!”
10. Keep valuables locked in safes. When it comes to what’s inside your buildings, you want to make sure it’s protected. A safe keeps everything secure on a day-to-day basis, as well as adds another layer of burglary prevention.​

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The news isn’t all bad all the time, though: Sally Lozoya and her husband told KVUE that they have had storage units in Austin for about a decade and that a year ago, they started dealing with break-ins and burglaries.

The property manager of the facility, Martin Lacayo, said the issue was resolved by installing an anti-burglary alarm detection system, as the area is now under surveillance and using individual keypad access codes for each tenant (services we offer:).
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​So prioritize prevention…Call Cothron’s today.

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