Storage Facility Theft Prevention

Recently in Houston, a string of robberies has occurred in several self storage facilities. Not only is this tragic for the victims of the robberies but the self storage facilities as well. Your business is reliant on whether or not your customers trust you and your services. A robbery can break their trust and make them look elsewhere for a more secure storage facility.

Just some of the ways you can protect your customers as well as your business:

• Require disc locks: These locks are harder for thieves to cut thus making the individual unit safer.
• Video surveillance: Standard surveillance might not be enough in today’s tech savvy generation. Thieves might be aware of how to get around standard, single-angle surveillance (as appears to be the case in one of the Houston burglaries). Having multi-angle cameras and motion detection lights will help to catch thieves in the act.
• Fencing: standard fencing is not enough to keep thieves out. High concrete walls are ideal but if you have chained link fence they should be lined with barbed wire.
• Urge your customers to inventory their belongings: By keeping a list of stored belongings with serial numbers recorded on high-value items such as electronics, police will have an easier time locating any missing items. You might even think about providing a simple inventory form to new customers.
• Stress to customers not to share codes: Police in the aforementioned case have a strong suspect in one of the facility’s renters since his code was used around the time of the burglaries. However, there is always a chance it was someone else who got a hold of the renter’s entry code. Make sure your customers keep gate codes to themselves and in a safe place. Also let them know not to allow anyone to follow them into the facility.
• Check units often: Have your customers visit their units regularly to make sure they are not missing anything. Customers should also check for signs of tampering with their locks.
• Storage insurance: As a last line of defense suggest that your customers get storage insurance. In the unfortunate event that something does happen it’s better to be prepared than to be at a total loss.

All of these suggestions will help to ensure both you and your customers safety and peace of mind when it comes to the belongings they are trusting you with. What measures have you taken to prevent theft at your facility?