THEFTS & BREAK-INS


white cameras with grainy vid- eos, it’s time for an upgrade!


4. Encourage staff to watch for suspicious behavior. • As described above, most criminals “scope” a job before doing it. Watch for things that don’t look right, and feel free to ask people act- ing suspiciously if they need help. This type of check-in lets these people know that the site manager is engaged and the site is not an easy target.


• Managers watching for people loitering is one of the best forms of discouragement, as would-be criminals look for em- ployee absenteeism and apathy.


• Scanning access logs and cam- eras in the morning for who accessed the facility overnight is a good best practice to notice suspicious behavior.


• Anything out of place on the daily walk-through should be followed up fully and not left to assumption.


• Remember that it is never acceptable to act on assump- tions based on how somebody looks, how they dress, or their ethnicity. This is discrimina- tory and not acceptable nor supported by the CSSA.


5. Ensure adequate lighting is in- stalled and functioning properly.


6. Disc and cylinder locks are a far bet- ter deterrent than regular padlocks.


7. Individual unit alarms are an excellent tool to limit the ex- tent of loss during a break-in. • Without unit alarms, thieves can take their time and sort through units.


• Some newer facilities also have heat and/or infrared sensors to further discourage theft.


• Make sure managers do not ignore alarms if they are triggered overnight.


8. Make sure you do not use com- mon contractor codes or easy-to- guess codes (1234, 1111, etc.).


October 2022


9. Having good and regular com- munication with other facility operators in the area can help everybody be more vigilant when crime events are occurring.


10.Ensure your site is well main- tained. Small things like keep- ing the grass cut can go a long way in discouraging crime.


11.Encourage customers to store small, valuable items, such as jewelry or watches, in safety de- posit boxes. These items are most often specifically excluded from self-storage insurance contracts.


12.In areas where crime proves to be difficult to deter, consider hiring a security company to do random patrols. Accompanying signage is also a good deterrent.


13.Not all sites need to be accessible 24/7. It’s not unreasonable to limit access to daytime hours and only provide extended access to those who can provide reasonable justifi- cation for needing off-hour access.


14.Consider language in your rental agreement that limits the value of goods stored within storage units. The single best deterrent to crime on your site is your staff. Staff who are engaged and care are far better than any other security measure you can implement. Being aware of who and when customers are accessing your site, suspicious characters, and checking in with customers is invalu- able. Also, getting staff in the habit of doing proper site checks could prevent a crime before it happens. As a reminder, a proper site check includes the following items: 1. Randomly checking locks, ensur- ing they are actually locked.


2. Looking for unlatched or unlocked units.


3. Ensuring that cameras are actu- ally recording, have not been obstructed in any way, and are pointing at what they are sup- posed to be recording (check the playback occasionally as well).


4. Picking up garbage and keep- ing the site tidy and clean.


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5. Keeping an eye out for anything suspicious or out of place, such as ladders along the fence line or cut or damaged fence sections.


6. Looking for strange dam- age in or around the site.


7. Being wary of cut pieces of lock or metal shavings on the floor.


Remember: Dealing with a break-in is a stressful event for everybody. As an owner, remember to check in with your manager and employees to see how they are doing and if there is anything you can do to support them. Employees have the difficult job of calling customers to let them know this has happened, and this process can be overwhelming. Make sure to be empathetic to your staff while they are being empathetic to the custom- ers affected. Dealing with break-ins takes time, so remember to be patient and remind yourself that this was a crime; it wasn’t your fault, it wasn’t your manager’s fault, and it wasn’t the customer’s fault. It was a criminal act.


Also remember to not volunteer any unnecessary information to those affected or the press. As in most situations of a crime, the more you say, the more difficult the investiga- tion can be for law enforcement and insurance companies. Saying the wrong things can make things much worse and leave you more vulnerable to civil actions and unfavorable press. It is always best to leave the details to the police and insurance companies.


But most of all, remember that these things happen and to maintain your professionalism and empathy. Keep moving forward and do what you can to make it less likely to happen to you again in the future.


David Allan is the vice president of business development and acquisi- tion for Apple Self Storage.


Robert Madsen is the president of U-Lock Mini Storage Group.


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