Neighbourhood Watch SA believes in a safe and connected community. At the centre of any community are the local stores and businesses. They support you while also enriching your life in various ways. It’s therefore incredibly important to keep them safe.

Unfortunately local stores and businesses can be a target for trespass and theft but there are numerous ways that business owners and also the local community can help minimise the chance. A few minor tweaks to security and being aware of the potential for crime can go a long way in reducing the risk in your area.

Local community:

• Keep a neighbourly eye on your local stores and businesses, if you see something that looks suspicious report the behaviour by calling the Police Attendance Line on 131 444 and in an emergency (for example a robbery in progress) dial 000.

Business owners:

• Make sure you fit all external doors and windows with good quality locks, closing and locking them at the end of every business day.
• Lock internal doors when the building is left unattended for extended periods.
• Maintain good visibility around the perimeter of your building e.g. cutting back planting.
• Ensure adequate lighting around your building during the hours of darkness.
• Install and activate CCTV cameras, ensuring they cover entrances and exits to your building and critical areas such as cash offices.
• Keep CCTV cameras regularly maintained and test them to see if you can positively identify an individual from the recorded images.
• View our two Business Security video clips: 'Protect your business from theft' and 'Tips on choosing and installing a CCTV system'.

For more information and guidance please visit our comprehensive range of Neighbourhood Watch SA safety and security booklets and fact sheets.

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