Member Article

Businesses urged to step up security over Christmas

A North East security firm is reminding businesses to tighten security measures over the festive break.

Stephen Wylde, managing director of NLS Security Ltd - formerly known as Newcastle Locksmiths and Safe Company - a family-run business situated on Newcastle’s West Road, is offering security tips for workers as we approach one of the busiest times of year for commercial burglaries.

Stephen said: “Thieves target offices over Christmas, knowing that valuable equipment may have been left unguarded for days or weeks on end. If you’re preparing to close the office for the festive period, then make sure you’ve covered all bases to keep your workplace safe from harm while you’re away.”

1) Invest in a good alarm system. Double check your office insurance policy, which may state that you must have an alarm, and that your cover will be invalid if you haven’t installed one. Ask employees to familiarise themselves with how to set the alarm, and change the code regularly.

2) Double check the locks and fittings of all exterior doors and windows. Ask an experienced locksmith to visit your office before the Christmas break to make sure that your locking systems are up to scratch. If you share an office block with other companies, inform your neighbours and reception staff that you aren’t expecting visitors over the Christmas period – and that they should contact you if they see any suspicious activity.

3) Ask staff to exercise caution about what they post on social media. If they tell everyone that the office is closing down for the whole holiday period through Twitter or Facebook, they are potentially advertising an empty office to thieves.

4) If the key staff who are usually responsible for locking up, checking windows are shut, turning the air conditioning off and shutting computers down are away on holiday, then make sure that others employees are fully briefed about these tasks.

5) Check that expensive items such as laptops are stored out of sight, ideally in a safe or a security cabinet, and keep copies of all important documents.

6) Don’t advertise the fact that the property is empty. Invest in a timer to switch lights on and off in the office at certain times of the day, and remove any tell-tale signs from the windows such as wilting plants. If you live nearby, try to pay a visit over the long break to clear any post from the front door and check over the property.

NLS Security Ltd, which is accredited by the Master Locksmith Association, has traded in the North East for 34 years and provides a 24 hour call out service in Tyne and Wear. Further specialist services include supply of new and reconditioned safes, safe installation, safe removal, safe opening, auto locksmith services, car key cutting and car key programming.

The firm employs 14 members of staff, and the premises on the West Road include key cutting services, a large warehouse facility, free parking, a waiting area, a product showroom for locks, safes and security hardware, branded vans and a 10 tonne truck which transports safes across the country.

The company also runs two ecommerce sites, www.lockshopdirect.co.uk and www.esafes.co.uk which offer a wide range of security products with next day delivery.

For more information about NLS Security Ltd, visit www.nlssecurity.co.uk, like NLS Security Ltd on Facebook, and follow @nlssecurity on Twitter.

Call NLS Security on 0191 2386000, email info@nlssecurity.co.uk or visit the shop which is open from 8.30am – 5pm from Monday to Friday, and on Saturdays from 9am – 12.30pm.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Uniquethinking PR team .