Beating the Bad Guys

Beating the Bad Guys

Keep them from breakingand movingin

By Grady Carlson

Drug labs, chop shops, explosives...In 2004, self-storage security means a lot more than keeping the bad guysfrom breaking in. It also means keeping them from moving in. To do both,you need clearly defined and effective measures to ensure you know who rentsspace and works at your facility. These actions should be reinforced by ahigh-quality, uniform locking system to stop criminals at the unit door.

Know Who Youre Dealing With

Criminals want to hide their identities. For this reason,operators should ask every tenant for valid photo identification, as well as usephotos and surveillance cameras to record their faces and vehicle licenseplates. Another significant part of any security program is an active, visiblemanager who makes it clear to every renter that he spends a lot of time on site.Working involvement with local law enforcement is another way to make yourfacility less attractive to the enemy. These measures protect your investmentand your renters property.

You also need to know the people who work in your office. Can you trust your staff? Background and reference checks arein order to avoid making the wrong hire. While it is important to consider locksand security hardware to keep criminals out of your facility, you also need toknow who you are willingly letting in. Not only is your rentersproperty at stake, but your very business.

A Uniform Front: Locks and Latches

Set your own security parameters. Its time to end the yourlock, your key school of self-storage security. Allowing renters to maketheir own lock selection may lead to the presence of methamphetamine labs, chopshops, and dangerous chemical and firearms storage on your premises. The problemstems from honest renters securing their units with generic hardware-storelocks. A thief or someone who needs to dump unwanted goods then cuts the lock,does his business, and re-secures the unit with a look-alike lock. No one is thewiser until the legitimate renter attempts to enter his unit and asks you whyhis key doesnt work.

This old cut and switch technique has become the new cutand dump method for storing illegal and dangerous material. So for starters,upgrade your security by selling or giving away quality locks directly from ahigh-security lock manufacturer. In doing so, you improve your odds againstcrime, and your facility presents a uniform security front. If every unit issecured the same way, a thief cannot target particular units based on whether hethinks their locks can be compromised. Lengthen his odds, and improve yours,with standardized locks.

But uniform locks are only the first step toward thwartingcriminals. Even the finest padlock or disk lock still hangs on a slide bolt; andwhile the lock shackle can resist a bolt-cutter, a slide bolt cannot. Most facilities use access-control systems, surveillancecameras and door alarms. But since studies indicate most self-storage thefts arecommitted by people who actually rent at a facility, you still need security atthe door. Only a cylinder-lock system with a flush-mounted cylinder and noshackle or latch provides protection against bolt-cutters and other brute force.A hand-assembled, high-security system also provides protection against picking.

The Next Level: Master-Keyed Systems

You can take your cylinder-lock and latch system to the nextlevel by employing a cylinder with a stainless-steel front that resists drillingand a unique key that cannot be duplicated. A hand-assembled, tubular cylinder-lock system provides tens of thousands of usable key combinations and precisetolerances to prevent picking. Combining a cut and drill-resistant cylinder witha unique key combination in a master-keyed system provides physical protection,maximum security and fast, safe access in an emergency.

A master-keyed system isnt for everyone. But if you operate a professional security program and write alease that accommodates your system, worries of liability are better saved forother aspects of your business. A master-keyed system gives managers the abilityto access units safely and legallyunder carefully controlled circumstancesinan emergency. It also makes it clear to every renter that you are serious aboutsecurity.

With a distinctive, nonreplicable key blank and millions ofkey combinations, your master key will be exclusive to your facility. It canthen be safely protected in an electronic key safe with controlled access byauthorized personnel. The only people who love high-security, master-keyedfacilities more than renters and operators are local fire marshals and zoningboards. Your payoff is significant market visibility as a safe and secure facility.

Grady Carlson is the self-storage operations manager for LockAmerica Inc. (d/b/a L.A.I. Group), a manufacturer of security products forthe self-storage, vending, gaming, trucking and coin-op industries. He can bereached at 800.422.2866; e-mail [email protected]; visitwww.laigroup.com.