Name: Executive Securities Personnel Ltd
Address: 10 Vespasian Road, Southampton, Hampshire, SO18 1BA, GB
Telephone: 023 82109211

A reliable security routine does not need to be complicated. For a Southampton shop, office, workshop, warehouse or managed commercial site, start by understanding how people, vehicles and valuable items move through the premises. Then make the basic controls consistent.

The Home Office’s 2023 Commercial Victimisation Survey estimated that 26% of business premises in England and Wales experienced at least one of the offences it measured during the previous 12 months. Theft affected 14% of premises; burglary, including attempts, 8%; vandalism, 8%; and assaults or threats, 7%. These are national premises-level estimates, not Southampton-specific risk figures. The survey measures selected crimes, and computer misuse is excluded from its overall crime measure. 1

Use the figures as context, not a prediction for an individual address. The steps below are a practical starting point for local businesses. Adapt them to your site, lease, insurer requirements and assessed risks.

Make opening and closing predictable

Write a short opening and closing routine and assign responsibility by role. At opening, the designated person should approach with awareness of their surroundings and look for visible damage, an unsecured entrance or other signs that something is wrong. Agree in advance who to contact if the building appears unsafe. Staff should not enter or investigate a potentially unsafe site alone.

At closing, check that staff, contractors and visitors have left authorised areas. Secure windows, doors, gates and internal access points. Lock away portable high-value items, set the alarm according to its instructions and confirm that the final person knows how to report a fault or unusual activity. A simple log of the time, person completing the checks, exceptions and action taken can help managers identify missed steps and recurring faults.

Walk the site, including less-used areas

Carry out a regular walk-through inside and outside, and repeat it after building work, a layout change or an incident. Check doors, windows, loading areas, bin stores, plant rooms, sheds, fences and gates. Look for damage, poor lighting, objects that could help someone climb, and places where valuable equipment is hidden from view. Give each repair a clear owner, especially where responsibility is shared between a tenant, landlord and facilities team.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary provides business crime-prevention advice, including guidance on burglary, shoplifting and preventing crime at business premises. 2 Police.uk also recommends maintaining the exterior, securing vulnerable entry points and service doors, keeping bins away from access routes, and ensuring that alarms, cameras and lighting work as intended. 3

Improve visibility and maintain the basics

Keep entrances, walkways, loading areas and vehicle parking sufficiently lit for their use. Check that lights work, are aimed where needed and do not create unnecessary glare or nuisance for neighbours. Timers, dusk-to-dawn controls or motion sensors may suit different layouts and opening patterns. ProtectUK notes that good lighting can help identify suspicious activity and that CCTV needs enough light to capture usable images. It also recommends keeping security equipment and building boundaries in good working order. 4

Keep sightlines clear where possible. Manage vegetation and stored materials, and avoid stacking items around windows or entrances. These straightforward steps help staff notice unusual activity and keep the premises in better condition.

Control keys, codes and access

Keep a current record of keys, fobs and access permissions, with a named owner for issuing and returning them. Do not label keys with the business address or leave them in obvious on-site locations. Recover credentials when staff or contractors no longer need them, and review access if a key is lost or may have been copied. If you have recently taken over a property, ask who may still have keys and agree any lock changes with the landlord and insurer. The National Business Crime Centre notes that former occupants may still hold keys and advises businesses to review locks and smart-access permissions. 5

Use role-based permissions where practical. Not everyone needs access to every store, office, plant room or yard. Keep visitor and delivery arrangements simple: authorised entry, sign-in where appropriate, escort rules and a safe way to challenge unexpected visitors.

Make alarms and CCTV useful

Test alarms and cameras on a schedule, record faults and make sure someone knows what to do when a system activates. Review camera views for entrances, blind spots, image quality and day/night lighting. Agree who receives alerts, who can attend and what happens if that person is unavailable. Do not assume that an alarm activation automatically means police attendance; response depends on the system and applicable arrangements. ProtectUK recommends choosing appropriate systems, using competent installers and planning who responds to an out-of-hours activation. 4

If CCTV is installed, review the Information Commissioner’s Office guidance for data-protection requirements, including signage and footage handling. Keep the process for retrieving recordings clear and restrict access to authorised people. 4

Secure stock, tools, plant and vehicles

Keep tools, laptops, materials and high-value stock out of sight where possible and secure them when not in use. Record serial numbers and asset details. Lock vehicles, remove keys and avoid leaving equipment visible inside. Secure trailers, plant and fuel stores in designated areas, and consider whether gates or barriers can reduce unauthorised access without obstructing emergency routes.

For commercial premises and vacant properties, the National Business Crime Centre recommends reviewing security from the perimeter inwards and checking how cameras, alarms, utilities and building access work together. 5 If a property is empty for a period, arrange a named person to inspect it and report damage, attempted entry, leaks or equipment faults. See the company’s vacant property security information for related service details.

Give staff a clear reporting route

Staff should know how to report a damaged lock, suspicious activity, missing property, threatening behaviour or a near miss—and who will record and follow up the report. Capture the time, location, what was observed, relevant descriptions, witnesses, damage and available footage. Preserve records and avoid confronting a suspected offender. Use 999 for an emergency or crime in progress; use the appropriate non-emergency police channel for other reports. 5

The Hampshire & Isle of Wight Business Crime Partnership, launched in October 2024, brings together police, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and business representatives. Its stated aims include encouraging reporting, information sharing and collaboration on business crime. 6 Businesses can also keep in contact with their managing agent and nearby businesses so recurring access or lighting faults are raised promptly.

Prepare for holidays, shutdowns and vacant periods

Before a holiday closure or planned shutdown, confirm who will check the premises, whether alarms and lighting are working, and how keyholder contacts will be updated. Secure deliveries and waste, lock away loose equipment and avoid announcing predictable absence details on public social media. For an empty unit, agree inspection and maintenance responsibilities with the owner or managing agent. If the premises, staffing or value of equipment changes, review the security routine rather than relying on an old checklist.

When should a business consider external security?

A staffed presence may be worth exploring where a site needs access management during defined hours, a visible point of contact or support for opening and closing checks. Mobile patrols may suit sites that need periodic checks. Keyholding and alarm response may help businesses avoid routinely calling their own employees to attend activations. These options are not necessary for every business; compare the service scope with the site’s operating needs and risk assessment.

Before appointing a provider, define locations, hours, duties, access permissions, reporting expectations, escalation contacts and exclusions. Confirm in writing that the proposed service is available and suitable for the specific Southampton site. You can review static guarding, mobile patrol services and keyholding and alarm response as possible options.

Printable Southampton business-security checklist

Opening and closing steps are assigned and recorded.
Doors, windows, gates, loading areas and outbuildings are checked.
External lights, alarms and CCTV are tested and faults reported.
Keys, fobs, codes and access permissions are reviewed.
Stock, tools, vehicles and plant are secured and identifiable.
Staff know how to report incidents and when to call the police.
Holiday, shutdown and vacant-site checks are assigned to a named person.
Landlord, insurer and facilities responsibilities are clear.
The need for guarding, mobile patrols or keyholding is reviewed against site risks.

Discuss a suitable security contract

Executive Securities Personnel Ltd provides commercial security services from 10 Vespasian Road, Southampton, SO18 1BA. To discuss guarding, mobile patrols, keyholding or alarm-response requirements, call 023 82109211 or use the contact page. Any proposed service should be confirmed for the particular premises, dates and scope. Businesses can also learn more about commercial security in Southampton.

Southampton Business Crime Prevention Guide