A lot of people have been there – you come into work one day, only to find out that someone has broken in and caused damage. It could be as simple as an open window/door or something more serious such as a malicious attack and ransacking. While break-ins at offices are rare, it is important to know the steps you need to take to try and minimize the damage once the break-in has happened:
This is obviously the foremost and most important step if your office has been broken into. The police will help you in getting everything back in order and make sure that no one else gets into trouble for this mishap.
This is the number one priority after a break-in. Thieves often target businesses because they want to steal data or other sensitive information. You need to make sure that none of this data has been taken from your office and that your computer systems are secure against future intrusions.
This includes both tangible items such as cash and papers as well as intangible ones like reputation and trustworthiness. Making such a list will help you figure out what exactly needs to be replaced or fixed so that everything goes back to normal again.
Once you’ve notified the police, call your insurance company so they can send out an adjuster to help assess the damage and file a claim on your behalf. The sooner you call them, the faster they’ll be able to send someone out to help with recovery efforts.
You should lock all doors and windows that were used by the intruder. If there was a burglar alarm in place, make sure it was activated when the break-in occurred. If there wasn’t an alarm system installed, now would be a good time to invest in one.
After a break-in, you’ll need to share the news with your employees and other stakeholders. The most important thing is to be honest and transparent about what happened. You don’t want people to hear about it from other sources or find out from the media first. You should also consider giving employees access to emergency contact numbers and offering counseling services if needed.
If the intruder was able to get into your building through the fence, then make sure it is secure by installing a new lock or replacing it altogether with one that has better protection features such as motion sensors or cameras. You may also want to consider installing an electric fence around the outer perimeter of your property so no one can get in without setting off an alarm.
Ask yourself if there are any changes you need to make in terms of how people enter and exit the building, or whether there are other areas of security that need improvements such as lighting or cameras. Make sure all employees are aware of these changes so they don’t inadvertently put themselves at risk by ignoring them while they’re on the job.
You cannot eliminate every possible weak point in security. But you can minimize your exposure by keeping in mind the items we’ve discussed above as you set up your office and take steps to protect it after a break-in.