As spring kicks into full swing followed by summer, the warm weather is accompanied by increased incidents of vandalism.  In most cases, these acts of vandalism are committed by adolescents and young adults who see destruction as the cure for boredom. Considering that vandalism costs businesses and residential communities millions of dollars each year, business owners and communities can ill afford to ignore vandalism prevention strategies. There have been incidents where one home experienced over $200,000 of damage. Firstly, it is important to accept one crucial fact….there is no full proof system to prevent a highly motivated vandal 100% of the time, short of hiring a security services company to provide security guards for every corner of your property or possibly convincing your governor to enact martial law.  However, some things can be done to encourage a vandal to go elsewhere.  The key is making the effort required to accomplish their criminal act exceed their motivation to achieve their goal of defacing or damaging your property.

To help you safeguard your property from vandalism, we've compiled a list of ten effective crime prevention tips:

Here are 10 great crime prevention tips to prevent vandalism

1. Have bright security lights inside and outside of your property.

A well-lit property signals vigilance and awareness, making it a less attractive target for vandals. Vandals typically prefer to operate under the cover of darkness, where their activities are less likely to be seen or interrupted. By illuminating your property, you reduce this cover and increase the risk of detection, whether by you, a passerby, or surveillance cameras.

Moreover, effective lighting can give the impression of activity, even when no one is present. This perceived activity can be enough to discourage potential vandals who prefer easy, low-risk targets.

Best Types of Lighting to Deter Vandalism

When considering security lighting, it's essential to choose the right type of lights for your specific needs and property layout. Here are a few options:

1. Floodlights: These are powerful lights that cover a large area, making them ideal for large properties or open spaces like parking lots or yards.
2. Motion Sensor Lights: These lights turn on when they detect movement, surprising potential vandals and drawing attention to their presence.
3. LED Lights: LED lights are energy-efficient, durable, and provide consistent light output. They're great for constant illumination around your property.
4. Solar-powered Lights: These lights charge during the day and automatically turn on at night. They're environmentally friendly and eliminate the need for electrical wiring.



What to look for when getting lighting for security?

Choosing the right technical specifications for your security lights is also crucial. Here are a few key factors to consider:

1. Lumens: This is a measure of the total amount of visible light emitted by a source. For outdoor security lights, look for lights that emit 700-1500 lumens. Remember, the larger the area you want to cover, the higher the lumens should be.
2. Color Temperature: This is a measure of the light color. For security lighting, a color temperature of 5000-6000K (Kelvin), which is a bright white or daylight color, is typically recommended. This color temperature provides clear, bright light that increases visibility.
3. Detection Range and Angle for Motion Sensors: If you're using motion sensor lights, consider their detection range and angle. A larger detection range and angle mean the light can detect movement over a wider area. A range of 40-70 feet and a detection angle of 180 degrees are usually sufficient for most properties.

Reinforcing your property involves upgrading the physical elements of your premises to make them more resistant to vandalism. This can range from installing security glass and vandal-proof fixtures to strengthening doors and other potential points of entry. By creating a more robust physical environment, you can effectively deter vandals who are often looking for easy targets.



Implementing Reinforcement Strategies

Here are some examples of how you can flawlessly reinforce your property:

1. Security Glass: Replace standard windows with security or laminated glass. This type of glass is designed to resist breaking, even under force. For commercial properties, consider using security window film, which can be applied to existing windows to make them more resistant to breakage.
2. Vandal-Resistant Fixtures: Consider replacing standard outdoor light fixtures, signage, and other exterior elements with vandal-resistant alternatives. These are designed to be more durable and harder to damage or deface.
3. High-Security Door Locks: Reinforce entrances with high-security door locks. Deadbolt locks, for instance, offer significant protection against forceful entry.
4. Secure Air Conditioning Units: If your air conditioning units are accessible from the ground, secure them with cages to prevent damage or theft.

Technical Specifications

When choosing reinforced materials, specific technical specifications should be considered:

1. Security Glass: This should be at least 6.8mm thick, or consider security window film for existing windows. The film should be at least 4 mil thick for effective protection.
2. Vandal-Resistant Fixtures: These should be constructed from durable materials, such as stainless steel or hardened plastics, and designed to resist tampering.
3. High-Security Door Locks: Choose locks with an ANSI (American National Standards Institute) Grade 1 designation, indicating the highest level of security.
4. AC Unit Cages: These should be constructed from heavy-duty steel and securely bolted to the ground.

The exterior of your property is the first line of defence against vandalism. When you secure your perimeter effectively, you create a physical barrier that could deter potential vandals from even approaching your property. In this section, we'll delve into how to flawlessly secure your property's perimeter.

Securing the perimeter of your property is an effective deterrent against vandalism for several reasons. Here are the most relevant:

1. Physical Barrier
2. Visible Deterrent
3. Increased Risk of Detection

Implementing Perimeter Security Strategies

Here are some hands-on strategies for fortifying your property's perimeter:

1. Install a Security Fence: High-security fencing around your property can be a major deterrent to vandals. Fences create a physical barrier that can make it much harder for vandals to gain access to your property.
2. Use Clear Signage: The use of clear and visible 'No Trespassing' signs can discourage potential intruders. These signs communicate that you are proactive about your property's security.
3. Lock all External Access Points: Ensure all gates or other access points are securely locked when not in use. The harder it is to get into your property, the less appealing it becomes to vandals.
4. Maintain Visibility: Keeping your property's perimeter clear of high bushes or other visual obstructions can deter vandals, as it increases the chance of them being seen.

Technical Specifications

When implementing these strategies, there are certain technical specifications to consider:

1. Security Fences: These should be at least 6 feet high, made from a durable material like steel or aluminum. Consider a design that's difficult to climb, such as a palisade or mesh panel fencing.
2. Signage: The signs should be large and clear, placed at regular intervals along the fence. Use weather-resistant materials to ensure longevity.
3. Locks: Use high-quality, weather-resistant locks on all gates and access points.

Planting shrubs and bushes to make it more difficult for criminals to reach their targets is what we like to call strategic landscaping. This strategy works as a vandalism deterrent for a lot of different reasons.Possibly you have already thought of a couple. However, here are some of the most important reasons.

• It forms a physical barrier that can make access to your property more difficult.
• It maintains clear sightlines, meaning vandals are more likely to be seen.
• Lastly, a well-maintained landscape indicates that the property is well cared for, which can discourage potential vandals who prefer less vigilantly monitored properties.

Implementing Strategic Landscaping

If you are interested in trying this cool trick to prevent vandalism on your premises. Here are a few ways to use landscaping to your advantage:

1. Thorny Bushes: Plant thorny or prickly shrubs near windows and boundary walls. They act as natural barriers and discourage vandals from approaching too close.
2. Tree Placement: Be careful where you place trees. Trees near windows or roofs can provide easy access points for vandals. Instead, place them strategically where they can provide shade without compromising security.
3. Visible Frontage: Keep the frontage of your property visible. Overgrown plants can provide hiding spots for vandals. Regular maintenance can help prevent this.

By cleaning up vandalism on your property, you're sending a clear message to vandals that their actions are futile as it shows potential vandals that their actions will not have a lasting impact on your property. This can be a powerful psychological deterrent. Moreover, a clean and well-maintained property is less likely to be targeted by vandals in the future.

Step-By-Step Vandalism Cleanup

1. Document the Damage: Before you start cleaning, take pictures of the vandalism from different angles. This can be crucial for insurance claims and for providing evidence to law enforcement.
2. Assess the Damage: Determine the extent of the damage to decide if you can handle the cleanup yourself or if you'll need professional help.
3. Graffiti Removal: Graffiti is a common form of vandalism. To clean it, you can use graffiti remover products available in most hardware stores. Always test the product on a small, hidden area first to make sure it won't damage your property. For large or stubborn graffiti, consider hiring a professional cleaning service.
4. Broken Glass Cleanup: If windows or glass fixtures have been shattered, carefully collect the pieces wearing protective gloves. Use a vacuum cleaner to pick up smaller shards. Consider hiring professionals for large-scale glass cleanup.
5. Repair Damages: If there's damage beyond cosmetic issues, like broken fixtures or structural damage, hire professionals to repair it promptly.

Reporting vandalism is an essential part of handling such incidents. It aids in potentially catching the culprits and dissuades future acts of vandalism. In few words, reporting on vandalism acts gets you and your community a step closer to preventing future property damage

Importance of Reporting Vandalism

Every act of vandalism, no matter how small, contributes to a bigger picture. By reporting vandalism, you help law enforcement track and understand patterns of such activities in your area. This knowledge can lead to increased patrols, prompt investigations, and ultimately, prevention of future incidents.

How to Properly Report Vandalism

1. Document the Scene: Before cleaning up, take clear, well-lit photos of the vandalism from multiple angles. These can provide crucial evidence for the police and for insurance claims.
2. Notify the Police: As soon as you've documented the damage, contact your local police department to report the incident. Provide as many details as you can, including when you discovered the vandalism, any suspicious activity you noticed, and any potential witnesses.
3. File an Insurance Claim: Depending on your policy, your insurance may cover vandalism damage. Contact your insurance company, provide them with the police report number, and follow their instructions for filing a claim.

Why Reporting on Vandalism Helps

Reporting vandalism helps your community in several reasons. Here we highlight the most important:

1. Community Impact: Your report contributes to statistics that can draw attention to vandalism problems in your community, potentially leading to more resources being allocated to prevent such incidents.
2. Potential Culprit Apprehension: Reporting vandalism increases the chances of culprits being caught and facing consequences for their actions. This serves as a deterrent for future vandals.
3. Prevention of Further Damage: Regular reporting can lead to increased police patrols in your area, deterring potential vandals and potentially preventing further damage to your property.

Boredom is the fuel that drives the engine that propels vandalism.  Eliminate the fuel and the engine will not start.  Supporting programs that provide young people with safe alternatives to criminal mischief provides the dual benefit of preventing vandalism and make a positive impression on the life of a young person.  Young people who are busy doing activities have no time for committing crimes.  Your support can manifest in any combination of ways.  You could start your program from the ground up, donate money, volunteer or get involved in some other way.  This is the type of crime prevention that makes people feel good.  The choice is yours.

Locking doors and gates are the least expensive option for preventing vandalism. The simple act of locking a door can prevent an act of vandalism. Vandals tend to look for easy targets. Every extra step they have to go through encourages them to go elsewhere. Make checking all doors and gates a standard part of your procedures. You won’t regret it.  Door locks provide the added benefit of helping to make buildings and homes more burglar-proof.  You can learn more about burglar proofing by reading this article.

While ineffective against professional criminals, surveillance cameras can be effective against amateur criminals who commit acts of vandalism.  The presence of cameras is a deterrent.  In cases where they do not prevent the crime, cameras can provide information that can assist police in their investigation.  Video surveillance can be an effective solution for preventing vandalism.  However, buyers should be mindful of their budgets.  In many cases, the costs exceed the benefit of using the cameras.  if you want to learn more about how to use cameras, you may want to read this article.

Hiring a private security firm is the most effective crime prevention solution. It is also the most costly option. In most cases, business owners can implement the other options listed in this article and have satisfactory results without investing in security guards. However, there are some circumstances where hiring security guards from a security services company is a viable option for example:

Want to prevent vandalism in parking lots?  Here is a great article on that subject.