Stopping Property Crime In Its Tracks

Shawn Folks • August 26, 2020

Did you know that there are preventative measures you can take to prevent property destruction? In fact, there is a concept called Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, which is also known as CPTED. This is the understanding that physical and established norms impact behaviors, such as vandalism and crime, or their deterrents.


Initially, it originated in the United States around 1960 to create safer neighborhoods. The idea was coined by criminologist C. Ray Jeffrey. Although it was based on neighborhoods and communities, the overall concept can be used to defend your property as well. There are many ways of stopping property crime in its tracks. In order to better protect your property, there are 4 principles that go along with CPTED. The physical environment of your property can be transformed to promote positive behaviors and discourage negative ones.


 1. NATURAL SURVEILLANCE

First, you can create ways that make parts of a property more visible, or natural surveillance. This discourages unwanted visitors that do not want an audience. You can do this by trimming overgrown landscaping or using open stair risers to create more visibility. This gives criminals less areas to hide, too.


Although creating visibility is a step in the right direction, you can also be more proactive with activity creators. These are things in your community that people utilize. This increases foot traffic, which, in turn, adds visibility. Amenities such as playgrounds and community mailboxes are great ways to increase activity and thus, natural surveillance.


2. NATURAL ACCESS

Secondly, there is the principle of natural access. This restricts criminal opportunities by not only limiting access to your property, but also by controlling the traffic direction. In other words, you should use geography to your benefit. Criminals who cannot get to their targets are less likely to commit crimes.


The natural access control principle can be implemented in several ways, including:

  • Utilizing one main point of entry.
  • Adding low height, thorny bushes under ground-level windows and fences.
  • Not using design features that give access to roofs or upper levels of buildings.
  • Installing a locking gate the between front and back yards or front and back areas of your commercial building.


3. NATURAL TERRITORIAL REINFORCEMENT

Additionally, there is the natural territorial reinforcement principle. You should clearly define the boundary between public and private space. If you reinforce the feeling of territory to give your residents or employees a stronger sense of community, they will be able to quickly recognize outsiders. This can be done by tactically planting trees, building sidewalks and roads, and placing signage.


4. MAINTENANCE

Have you ever heard of the “broken window theory?” This is when a building with a few broken windows that are not repaired encourage vandals to break additional windows. If nothing is done about this new damage, their behavior intensifies. Neglected areas of a property invite crime to occur. When you let little things like broken windows accrue, they often turn into much bigger problems!


WHERE TO START

Now that you have the four principles laid out, you may be wondering, where to start? It is easier to implement these strategies than you may think. The simplest way to start is by completing daily rounds. Have your team, property manager or maintenance staff walk the property and its boundaries every day. While inspecting, they can assess whether gates, lock and access point controls are functioning; perform a landscape audit; inventory higher-value assets, like AC units; and clean litter. By taking these small steps to achieve CPTED principles, these will reduce potential crime and improve quality of life at your business or property.

For more information about, the CPTED concept, you may want to visit the International CPTED Association’s website.


OTHER PREVENTATIVE MEANS

In addition, you might want to install motion sensor lighting for more protection. These should encompass all areas of your property. It is also important to mount the lights as high as possible, so they cannot be disassembled by criminals. Be sure that the security lighting is not too bright, because these can cause unneeded glare or deep shadows.

Furthermore, this may seem obvious, but having a security alarm system is also important. Now these systems are available to work with almost any budget, so you can probably get one to fit your needs. Once installed, you should display security system signage at access points. Depending on your property, installing security cameras are another preventative measure when window surveillance is not possible.


CHOOSE GUARANTEE RESTORATION SERVICES

At the end of the day, criminals will be criminals. Stopping property crime in its tracks does not always stop the actions of outside individuals. The good news is that Guarantee Restoration Services can help. We are ready to perform contents restoration and help you restore what we can. If your property experiences vandalism, give our team a call at 1-800-349-HELP (4357) or visit our website at www.GuaranteeRestoration.com.

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How to Respond to Property Damage in the First 24 Hours

By Shawn Folks • May 20, 2026
When a disaster strikes and a loss happens, the clock starts immediately. The first 24 hours after a storm event or a fire loss are the most critical for any property. It is at this time that major decisions need to be made, the damage is either controlled or spreads, and the path to recovery is determined. These decisions are often rushed, unclear, and reactive without a plan in place. This is where having a pre-loss plan makes a measurable and meaningful difference. A pre-loss plan creates a clear starting point for you and your team instead of scrambling to figure out who to call, what steps to take, or how to protect the property. It removes reactive hesitation and replaces it with action to recover. Everyone involved knows their role and understands the process, allowing them to move quickly without second guessing. Speed matters in restoration. Water continues to spread; materials continue to deteriorate, and secondary damage, like mold, can begin in as little as 24 to 48 hours. The faster a response is initiated, the more damage can be contained. Pre-loss planning allows that response to begin immediately, not hours or days later. Other than fast action, it also brings clarity during a very chaotic and challenging moment. Property managers, facility teams, and business owners are not left out in the dark trying to make high-pressure decisions on the spot. Instead, they are following a plan that has already been thoroughly thought through, discussed, and tailored to their specific property’s needs. Communication can become fragmented without a plan. Another advantage to pre-loss planning is coordination. There are several moving parts including emergency services, restoration teams, and insurance carriers. Having a plan streamlines communication ensuring that everyone involved is aligned from the start. At Guarantee Restoration Services, pre-loss planning is designed to support the exact moment the dust settles. It’s not just about preparing documents to sign ahead of time; it’s about setting up our partners and clients to respond with confidence when it matters the most. From established points of contact to documented site conditions and response protocols, everything is built to protect time, reduce damage, and maintain control.  Many people think preparation is about preventing the worst from happening. Rather, it is about being ready when it happens. Because when those first 24 hours hit, you do not want to be figuring things out. You want to be executing a well-formulated, personalized plan for recovery. Call us today...where 24/7 isn’t just a number, it’s a GUARANTEE!

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Behind every successful project at Guarantee Restoration Services is a team member dedicated to making a difference. This month, we’re proud to feature Brian McCaughan, Mitigation Manager at our Gulfport Branch. With more than two decades of industry experience and a strong belief in teamwork, Brian continues to lead by example both in and out of the field.

When Every Minute Counts: Why Pre-Loss Planning Is Essential

By Zack Klein • May 5, 2026
Pre-loss planning is not flashy or attention grabbing until you’re standing in the middle of a disaster and wondering what happened and what happens next. At Guarantee Restoration Services, it is one of the most important conversations we can have with our partners and clients, because preparation can mean the difference between complete chaos or a controlled situation. What Is Pre-Loss Planning? This service our team offers is exactly what it sounds like. It’s putting a plan in place before something goes wrong. Whether it’s a fire, a severe storm, or a flood, the first few hours matter more than anything. Decisions are made quickly, vendors are being called, and people are trying to figure out who is responsible for what and where. Without a proper plan in place, that moment is stressful, delayed, and more expensive than it needs to be. We have seen it firsthand, time and time again, those properties that have a solid pre-loss plan in place recover faster, experience less downtime, and have a much smoother path to normalcy. Properties that don’t have a plan are left to react instead of responding.
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