If you’re a retailer looking into business security systems, you’re all too well aware that shoplifting costs your industry tens of billions of dollars every year – that’s millions every single day.
No retailer is immune. Shoplifters steal from all kinds of stores; big box stores, department stores, supermarkets, drug stores, convenience stores, and even thrift shops. Worst of all, there is no profile of a typical shoplifter. They can be men or women and sometimes even kids. Shoplifters come in all shapes and sizes; rich or poor; young, old, or in between.
Of course one of the first steps to help control shoplifting in your establishment is to install a video surveillance system – however, it’s not possible to completely stop people from stealing from you. Luckily, there are ways to further protect your business if you know how to spot a shoplifter.
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6 Spring Cleaning Tips to Make Your Home Safer and Healthier
/1 Comment/by American Alarm Blogging TeamAfter a cold and snowy – OK, very snowy – New England winter, spring is the perfect time to roll up your sleeves and give your home a top-to-bottom cleaning to get it ready for summer entertaining. In addition to spiffing up your house, there are some things you can do during your spring cleaning to make your house healthier while promoting home safety.
Here are six spring cleaning tips to get you started, courtesy of MedicineNet:
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Shoplifting Prevention Series: The Mindset of a Thief
/by American Alarm Blogging TeamUnfortunately, shoplifting is often considered a necessary part of doing business for a retailer.
Earlier this year, three people – two from New York and one from Pennsylvania – were arrested for allegedly shoplifting $29,000 worth of fur coats and other clothing from a fur shop on Route 28 in Randolph, Mass.
Police also discovered that the suspects had a list of high-end clothing stores from Pennsylvania to Massachusetts, including stores in Boston and Quincy, according to the Patriot Ledger.
In addition to installing a business security system, understanding the different types of shoplifters – and the way they think – can go a long way toward helping you protect your company.
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Tips to Protect Your Home From Lightning
/by American Alarm Blogging TeamLightning strikes are not as uncommon as many people think and can create severe fire hazards during storms.
Last summer, a lightning strike caused a two-alarm fire in Kingston, Mass. Three other homes were also hit by lightning during the same severe storm, but they did not catch fire. Luckily, there were no reported injuries.
In September, a barn in Williamsburg, Mass. also caught fire after it was hit by lightning. No one was inside the barn and no one was injured.
Earlier this year, chimneys on a home in Danvers, Mass. and a residence in Framingham, Mass. were also hit by lightning during an unusual lightning storm.
We want to offer you some tips from Safety Insurance in Boston to help you protect your home and your family during a lightning storm:
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Shoplifting Prevention Series: What Does a Thief Look Like?
/1 Comment/by American Alarm Blogging TeamIf you’re a retailer looking into business security systems, you’re all too well aware that shoplifting costs your industry tens of billions of dollars every year – that’s millions every single day.
No retailer is immune. Shoplifters steal from all kinds of stores; big box stores, department stores, supermarkets, drug stores, convenience stores, and even thrift shops. Worst of all, there is no profile of a typical shoplifter. They can be men or women and sometimes even kids. Shoplifters come in all shapes and sizes; rich or poor; young, old, or in between.
Of course one of the first steps to help control shoplifting in your establishment is to install a video surveillance system – however, it’s not possible to completely stop people from stealing from you. Luckily, there are ways to further protect your business if you know how to spot a shoplifter.
Read more →
4 Ways to Save Money on Your Homeowner’s Insurance
/by American Alarm Blogging TeamIf you’re like the rest of us, you’re looking to save money any way you can. You make sacrifices like eating out less, cutting back on vacations, and buying fewer clothes. However, there’s another way to save money – by taking advantage of the discounts your insurer offers on your homeowner’s insurance.
Here are four way ways to lower the costs of your premium, courtesy of the Insurance Information Institute.
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Tips to Keep Your Basement From Flooding
/1 Comment/by American Alarm Blogging TeamImagine this scenario: You’re on a great winter getaway, soaking up the rays on one Caribbean island or another. The temps are in the mid-80s, and you and your family are snorkeling and swimming with the dolphins. The last thing on your mind is the plumbing in your home back in New England.
When you get home, you discover (to your horror) that your water pipes have frozen and burst, flooding your basement and causing significant damage that requires extensive and costly repairs.
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Top Ten Ways to Prevent Shoplifting
/by American Alarm Blogging TeamShoplifting. It may seem like an innocent crime, but it’s costing retailers nearly 11 billion dollars in loss every year. Some of the most common items include clothing, books, music, jewelry, and pretty much anything you can fit in your pocket or purse.
A good video surveillance system can help identify and prosecute a suspect after a theft occurs — but, wouldn’t you like to stop it from happening altogether?
In this video, American Alarm Blogging Team’s Sunny Gault will give you the top 10 ways to help you prevent shoplifting.
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Working Smoke Detectors, CO Detectors Save Lives
/2 Comments/by American Alarm Blogging TeamOn Wednesday February 12th, a woman in her 50s lost her life when a fire broke out in an apartment of a three-family home in Cambridge, Mass. Fire officials determined the cause of the fatal blaze was an electric baseboard heater that may have malfunctioned.
The home fire alarm system (smoke detectors) inside the apartment, as well as throughout the building, had been disconnected or did not have batteries, said Cambridge Fire Chief Gerald R. Reardon.
“A working smoke alarm coupled with an escape plan can double one’s chances of surviving a fire,” he said.
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5 Tips to Protect Your Pet in Emergencies
/2 Comments/by American Alarm Blogging TeamAs a leading provider of home alarm systems, we’ve written a lot about things you can do to ensure the safety and security anyone living with you – and, of course, yourself. Everything we do is focused on helping you protect your family and your home in the event of an emergency or natural disaster — but what about your furry, four-legged family members? Don’t forget to take them into consideration when you develop your family’s emergency preparedness plan.
We offer you five tips, some of which are courtesy of The Humane Society of The United States, to protect your pets in emergencies and natural disasters:
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5 Ways to Prevent Credit Card Fraud
/by American Alarm Blogging TeamIn an alarming statistic reported by Forbes, 42% of people in the United States have experienced some type of credit card fraud occurring to their account. After the card information has been stolen, an average amount of $5,000 in fraudulent activity occurs before the problem is fixed. Although credit card companies and banks are doing more to prevent this issue, it is, unfortunately, still up to the card holders to do as much as they can to prevent credit fraud.
We recently put together an infographic outlining the strange life of a stolen credit card — today we’d like to discuss our top 5 ways to prevent credit card fraud.
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