Archive for November, 2010

A False Fire Alarm will Cost you up to $1050

SafeTech Alarm System’s President, Sean O’Leary feels that bylaws that fine Toronto home owners for false fire alarms are excessive and restrictive. In the last six months over 800 Toronto residents have been fined $1050 by the Toronto Fire Department for false alarms caused by their home security system.

If a home equip with a monitored security system experiences a fire alarm, the alarm company’s central monitoring station is alerted and will attempt to contact the home to see if there is a fire. If the home owner can not be reached the central monitoring station will dispatch the fire department. In some cases the fire department arrives to find it was an equipment malfunction or a small incident that did not require the dispatch of fire engines. Due to the high cost of dispatching firefighters to a residence earlier this year the Toronto City Council passed a bylaw enforcing a $1050 fine for any resident who cause a false alarm.

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Holiday Rush increases Security Issues for Commercial Retailers

We are about to enter the busiest shopping period of the entire year. For the next month retail stores are going to see a tremendous influx in the amount of traffic they receive as customers commence their holiday shopping. While the increase in customers is fantastic it can be a little overwhelming to stores that are unprepared. An increase in traffic can be a drain on your staff and resources and could potentially leave you more vulnerable to shop lifting and inventory loss. Here are a few tips to protect your business from the unfortunate side effects of the holiday shopping rush.

The first thing you can do to protect your business and inventory is install a security camera. As discussed on this blog last week security cameras are a great deterrent to potential theft as the threat of being videotaped makes criminals think twice. Placing a camera in a high traffic area where it can be clearly seen alerts potential shoplifters that they are being recorded. Camera’s can also be placed in store rooms to ensure your employees are not engaging in shoplifting. This is an important step during the holiday rush as many stores take on additional staff that they are unfamiliar with. A security camera will keep everyone honest.

Another step you can take to protect your retail store safe during the holiday shopping rush is hiring a security guard. Security guards are the best deterrent toward shoplifting. To criminals a security guard represents a very real chance of being apprehended while engaging in criminal activity. A uniformed security guard strategically placed at the entrance to a commercial retail store can significantly cut down on the loss of inventory. In addition a retail store can opt to hire a plain clothed security guard to pose as a shopper and get a closer look at potential shoplifters. Plain clothed guards experience tremendous success rates when hired for the holiday season. The larger the retail space the more security guards you will need for the holiday rush. If you already employ a security guard it may be a good idea to hire a second for this incredibly busy month.

If you are interested in installing security cameras, surveillance equipment or security guards to protect your store this holiday season contact us today. We can also provide you with additional tips on keeping your inventory safe this month.

Audio version of this article: http://www.safetechalarms.com/podcast/commercial-security-tips-for-holiday-shopping-rush.mp3
Also you can download this audio file and you can listen on your personal MP3 player.

If you have been following the news over the last few months chances are you have heard of David Chen. Chen is the grocer in Toronto’s Chinatown who made a citizens arrest of a shoplifter that had been routinely stealing inventory from his store. Chen’s brave fulfillment of civic duty has caused stirs across the country, there is great debate as to whether or not he should have pursued the serial shoplifter or left it to authorities. The aspect of the story I would like to focus on is how Chen was able to recognize the shoplifter when he returned to the scene of his earlier crimes.

Store Owner David Chen talks to the Media about his Citizens Arrest

Like all store owners Chen was greatly concerned with the security of his inventory, for after all his inventory was his livelihood. As a result Chen installed a security camera and positioned it looking over his store. When Chen noticed that some of his plants had gone missing he immediately reviewed his security tapes and was able to watch the crime take place. Thanks to his security camera Chen was able to place a positive identification on the thief and instantly recognized him when he returned later that day in an attempt to steal more. Once Chen spotted him pursued him and made a citizens arrest. Thanks to his security camera Chen was able to protect his businesses from further theft while at the same time apprehending a criminal who had victimized him.

Chen’s story is an excellent example of how a security camera can help you project your business. Whether you own a small grocery store in Toronto’s Chinatown or a large warehouse in an industrial park you are susceptible to theft, break-ins, property damage and other crimes. Security cameras can help to deter crime if they are placed in a highly visible area as most criminals will not take the chance of being recorded in the act of committing a crime. If a criminal does commit a crime in front of a security camera the recorded evidence will help authorities catch them and hold them accountable for their actions. Chen’s security camera protection does not end with his citizens arrest story. Two days before he was to appear in court to get hear the final ruling on his citizens arrest case he caught two more shoplifters through the aid of his security camera. For more information on security cameras please visit the SafeTech website.

Audio version of this article: http://www.safetechalarms.com/podcast/how-security-cameras-protect-businesses.mp3

There is no more frightening security threat than home invasions. The idea of an intruder breaking into your home is unfortunately a very real security risk. The number of home invasions that are taking place in Canada are growing at a staggering rate. According to CBC there have been over 60 home invasions in Toronto in the past year. While most home invasions are motivated by theft and take place while the home owners are away a growing number are taking place while the occupants are home. In these circumstances the home invasions turn quite violent as the intruders often demand money or valuables from the home owners under the threat of physical violence including assault and even murder. What is shocking is that in most instances the homes invaded are targeted at random. Everyone is susceptible to this growing criminal phenomenon and the best way to protect you and your family is by installing a home alarm system.

It is a well documented fact that home alarm systems deter crime. Houses, apartments and condominiums that do not have proper security and alarm systems report a much higher rate of home invasions than those who have a professionally installed home alarm system. In many cases a sticker on a window or a sign on your front lawn indicating that you have an alarm system installed is enough to make a potential criminal think twice before approaching your home. If a criminal were to attempt a home invasion on a residence secured with a home alarm system, the alarm would go off as soon as they attempted to enter. Thanks to window and door sensors that are linked up to the central alarm system, as soon as your home is tampered with an alarm will sound alerting you and anyone else in the area to the potential security threat.

Once your alarm has sounded a second line of defence is implemented. Most home alarm systems are monitored by a central monitoring station that will contact your home as soon as the security system indicates there has been a breech. If the monitoring station can’t get a hold of you or they do and you tell them there is a problem they will contact the police right away. Criminals are aware of how fast a central monitoring station can get the police on the scene and in most cases once an alarm goes off the criminal will flee the scene and never return. If you are concerned about the safety of you and your family due to the growing rate of home invasions there is nothing better you could do than install a SafeTech home alarm system. For more information of home alarm systems please visit our website.

Audio version of this article: http://www.safetechalarms.com/podcast/home-alarms-protect-against-home-invasions.mp3

In the past you were more likely to see a biometric security system in science fiction movies or high level military compounds then you were in regular offices. However, technological advances in the last few years have made these high-tech security systems far more accessible to the greater public. Biometric security systems are currently used in a variety of offices and business around the world as an excellent means of security and access control.

Biometric security systems offer a highly advanced form of identification. These systems verify an individual’s identity through either physical or behaviour characteristics that may include hand geometry, retinal scans, voice prints or facial characteristics. When a Biometric System is integrated into an office’s security system employees are required to give their biometric information which is then stored in a database. Every time the individual tries to gain entrance into a secured area the biometric system will access this database to determine whether the individual has access to that area. Because it is impossible to replicate individuals biometric information these security systems are often regarded as some of the best security systems in the world.

There are various types of biometric security systems that different companies are developing. The first and most common type of biometric security systems is fingerprint recognition. These systems measure the various ridges and valleys that are unique to an individuals finger print to determine identity. Another form of biometric technology is facial recognition. This system identifies individuals by analyzing certain facial characteristics such as the distance between the eyes or the length of the nose. A third form of biometric security systems deals with the analysis of the shape of an individual’s hand. While this system is not as exact as others it is still useful for verification purposes. Iris recognition is a biometric security system that has been popularized in many science fiction movies. In this system the coloured ring that surrounds the pupil is measured to determine the identity of an individual. The final form of biometric technology is voice recognition. These systems are based on software that measures the tone, pitch and cadence of an individual’s voice. These systems are often available as security systems for laptops or computers.

Biometrics was once viewed as a futuristic technology that was unavailable to the everyday person. These days many security companies offer you the chance to protect your business with the most advanced security systems available. For more information on biometric technology contact SafeTech Alarm Systems today.

You can download the file and you can listen on your personal MP3 player.
Pod Cast Audio version of this article: http://www.safetechalarms.com/podcast/Biometric-Security-Systems.mp3