Written By: Brad Campbell | August 29, 2024
After decades in the glass protection business and countless hours revising surveillance videos of forced entry crimes, we’ve seen some very inventive techniques used by criminals.
From the thousands of hours of video we’ve watched, not to mention all the interviews conducted with property owners, one thing has become clear: bad actors will continue to evolve as businesses and commercial facilities strive to bolster their defenses.
This war of wills — building owners working to keep the bad guys out versus the criminals’ desire to get in — has given rise to an increased need for innovative forced entry mitigation solutions that physically prevent unauthorized access to commercial properties.
To put it simply, deterrents are no longer enough. Buildings need solutions that will stop intruders dead in their tracks — solutions like Riot Glass.
Riot Glass was born out of the struggle to physically prevent forced entry in commercial properties, and will continue to evolve to meet new challenges presented by changing trends in forced entry crimes.
To get insights into the magnitude of the challenges commercial properties face and why traditional security solutions are no longer enough to face them, we need only reflect on cybercrime as an example.
You’re probably well aware of the need to update your malware and antivirus software constantly to thwart an ever-evolving effort on the part of hackers, yet in the physical world we rely on the same security products we have been using for decades — this is a mistake.
After all, bad guys have known how to get past locked doors forever, and stats show that they are no longer deterred by security cameras or alarm systems alone.
With forced entry-related crimes, including burglary, smash-and-grab theft, and rioting and looting, on the rise in recent years, it’s important to understand the limitations of traditional commercial security measures.
Understanding these limitations allows business and building owners to evaluate their existing measures and upgrade them using modern physical security technologies, like Riot Glass.
Let’s look at some of those traditional security measures that, although still important components of a comprehensive commercial security system, are no longer “cutting the mustard” on their own — they need to be paired with other modern security technology to create a more robust system for preventing forced entry crimes.
Security cameras are an excellent tool for documenting forced entry crimes as they unfold, which helps investigators solve crimes and can aid in prosecution.
Monitored surveillance systems can also notify security companies or the police when a forced entry attempt is underway, but experienced criminals can often get in and out of a commercial property before the authorities have time to arrive and apprehend them.
The proliferation of cameras into security systems and public places in general and modern technological advancements certainly make security cameras more useful as an early warning system for certain types of property crimes, but cameras are not a barrier to entry and will not stop a crime from occurring in most cases.
Alarm systems are necessary for alerting police, and a loud alarm sound is undoubtedly going to scare off a high percentage of would-be intruders, but it can take considerable time for the alarm company to make initial calls to the property owner before a call to the police occurs.
After this call occurs, response times can vary greatly, so there’s no guarantee the police are going to catch the criminals in the act.
Criminals use the statistical data in their favor, betting on the response time taking longer than they need to commit the crime and get away. They know that once police are alerted, it can take several minutes to over an hour for them to arrive, depending on the proximity of officers to the alarm and the amount of other police activity taking place at the same time.
False alarms are also common, so police may not place a priority on responding to break-and-enter calls, and bad actors use these timelines to their advantage. They know they have a good chance of committing a crime and escaping before police arrive, and they do it all the time.
Windows and glass doors are the Achilles heel of any commercial building, and this is where the majority of intruders are getting in.
All it takes is a couple of blows with a sledgehammer or another common burglary tool to shatter a standard commercial glass entryway door or storefront window, allowing the criminals to reach in and open a door from the inside or step right in through the broken glass.
Even strengthened tempered glass is no match for the heavier and more specialized tools bad actors have learned to bring along as part of their arsenal — the glass simply crumbles during a forced entry attempt.
Enter Riot Glass, a retrofittable system of forced entry-resistant security glazing that actually keeps the bad guys out.
Riot Glass security glazing uses special formulations of security glass laminates, polycarbonates, acrylics, and other plastics to create a virtually unbreakable barrier to forced entry.
When you retrofit a commercial building’s glass doors and windows with Riot Glass, it protects the existing glass behind from shattering, frustrating forced entry attempts and deterring the criminals or providing time for the authorities to arrive and catch them.
Even if a determined would-be intruder is able to damage the Riot Glass, it retains its overall shape, continuing to protect the glass behind and preventing the attackers from reaching through.
In other words, Riot Glass is a formidable glazing shield that makes forced entry through the glass virtually impossible, not to mention it does so without making your property look fortified.
Riot Glass offers unmatched window and door protection for commercial properties, shielding their glass against even the most determined forced entry attempts and complementing more traditional security measures to significantly harden any building’s physical security.
In a world where we see the tactics of criminals constantly evolving, Riot Glass provides the peace of mind businesses and commercial facilities need when it comes to their security.
If you’re looking for a cost-effective, reliable, and aesthetically pleasing security glazing solution that ensures your property remains protected around the clock, look no further than Riot Glass.
Contact us today for a free consultation!
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