Firms warned over Christmas crime

Office design news from Morgan Lovell

Published on 23-12-2011

Police have said that office space in London has a greater chance of being hit by burglars at Christmas than at any other time of the year.

City of London Police urged firms to take steps to prevent becoming victims of burglary over the holiday period, saying that many opportunistic criminals are drawn out by the dark nights and prospect of empty office interiors.

The warning comes as many workers will be gearing up to leave their offices empty for a good few days while they celebrate the festivities with loved ones.

Firms are urged to make sure someone is given the job of checking all doors and windows before leaving, as well as recording people coming in and out of the building.

Backing up the warning is figures from the force showing that last December it investigated 2,500 burglaries at commercial properties.

Det Insp Dominic Parkin, City of London Police, said: "The number of commercial burglaries in the City remains low, but the impact of just one can be huge, especially if commercially sensitive documents or client data are removed, potentially causing irreversible damage to a company’s reputation.

"Businesses should take note of crime prevention advice so they can better protect themselves from this threat."

Copyright Press Association 2011