Facebook

4 Ways to Prevent Vandalism and Ward Off Tricksters this Halloween

Put that pumpkin down and listen closely.

Historically, the night before Halloween has been devoted to all sorts of mischief, as kids of all ages would douse houses with eggs and deface public property as part of a pre-Halloween celebration.

Over the years, this observance became known by many names – Mischief Night, Goosey Night, and even Cabbage Night. (The latter hails from a time when Scottish women would select cabbages from their neighbors’ gardens in an attempt to foretell their future husbands’ appearances. After that went sideways, they’d simply throw the vegetable at the nearest door and run like heck.)

In fact, before the 20th century when Halloween staked its claim on October – things were getting pretty chaotic throughout the country. One of the ways to prevent vandalism turned out to be bribing the youth with candy – and the rest is kind of history.

Except, it isn’t. Today, acts of vandalism continue to spike in the nights – particularly the night – leading up to All Hallows’ Evening, with homes and small businesses bearing the brunt of this “mischief.” As with any holiday that pairs revelry with alcohol, trespassing, break-ins, and other assorted crime also tend to escalate, making professionally installed safeguards a must for business owners.

Here are just four ways to prevent vandalism this year, and have a Happy Halloween in the process:

  1. Lights: State-of-the-art security is an excellent deterrent to troublemakers. Opt for motion sensors that can flood your parking lot and entrance areas with light, putting would-be trespassers and criminals on notice.
  2. Cameras: Today’s cloud-based surveillance systems can not only help you discourage trespassers and eliminate theft, but their intuitive design makes them a snap to install and use. Because in-house servers are software are a thing of the past, IT costs diminish, while immense scalability allows businesses to add and remove components on a whim.
  3. Activation: Talk to your security vendor about integrating an intrusion detection system with your existing access control, alarms, and more. Quality systems can notify you with customized email alerts when alarms go off, while motion detection, glass break sensors, and window and door alarms provide maximize your defenses. Not only that, but when integrated with heat and temperature sensors, intrusion detection systems can alert you to floods, fire, and even medical emergencies. Be sure to test all of your alarms before Halloween week and contact your security vendor if repairs are needed.
  4. Lock up the vegetables: Just kidding. But if you’re closing up shop early for the night, make sure your all doors and windows are shut tight and secured.

Secom can help you determine the best ways to prevent vandalism and theft – not only on Halloween but throughout the year. Call us at 240-374-1475 or reach out online today to learn more.