Written By: Brad Campbell | August 2, 2025
From luxury retailers and jewelers to 24-hour convenience stores and cannabis dispensaries, businesses across the country are facing increasingly high threat levels. Smash-and-grab thefts, armed robberies, and coordinated break-ins are more common than ever — especially in urban areas and high-crime zones.
To protect their employees, merchandise, and peace of mind, more business owners are investing in bulletproof glass for business protection. This durable, impact-resistant glazing is one of the most effective physical security upgrades a commercial property can implement today.
However, before you decide to install ballistic-grade glazing to protect your business, it’s important to understand exactly what this type of security glass actually is, which types of businesses can benefit the most from it, and how to implement it for maximum protection.
Despite the popular term "bulletproof glass," no glass is completely bulletproof. A more accurate term is bullet-resistant glass. These materials are engineered to stop one or more bullets from common firearms, preventing them from fully penetrating a window or barrier.
Modern bullet-resistant glazing systems often combine layers of:
For example, glass-clad polycarbonate glazing combines polycarbonate plastic on the safe side (inner layer) and laminated security glass on the attack side (outer layer). These multi-layered materials absorb and disperse the energy of a bullet, while also resisting blunt force impacts from tools like hammers, bats, or crowbars.
Advanced ballistic-grade window and door solutions, like those developed by Riot Glass, outperform traditional bullet-resistant glazing materials in terms of both durability and longevity, offering a longer service life without sacrificing strength.
Traditional commercial window and door glass, even strong tempered safety glass, offers minimal resistance to forced entry. It can shatter easily with just a few strikes from a blunt object. For many high-risk businesses, that's simply not good enough.
Installing bulletproof glass to protect a business’s windows and doors offers a few huge benefits:
Security cameras and alarms are great for documentation and response, but forced entry-grade and bullet-resistant glazing solutions provide real-time, physical protection during a security event.
While any commercial space can benefit from stronger glass security, certain business types face higher-than-average threat levels. Here are a few examples of businesses that can benefit greatly from implementing ballistic-grade door and window glass:
Late-night hours and frequent cash transactions make these stores prime robbery targets. Criminals know that staff may be alone or vulnerable after dark, and windows made of standard glass offer little resistance.
Bullet-resistant glazing can be used to protect windows, doors, and display cases as well as to create secure transaction windows, keeping employees and merchandise alike safe and out of the reach of criminals.
These businesses deal with large amounts of cash on hand, and often operate in areas where bank access is limited. Bullet-resistant barriers at counters and windows are essential for employee safety.
Many cannabis dispensaries remain operationally cash-heavy and often store large quantities of high-value product on-site. This makes them a top target for armed robbery and coordinated theft — sometimes multiple stores get hit in a single night.
With expensive merchandise visible through storefront windows and display cases, jewelry stores are prime candidates for smash-and-grab theft. Organized retail crime rings specifically target these locations for quick, high-dollar hits.
Like jewelry stores and other high-risk businesses, pawn shops deal in a combination of cash and lots of small, valuable items. A single breach could cost tens of thousands of dollars in minutes.
In all these examples, implementing bulletproof glass for business protection can help deter and prevent forced entry, reduce the risk of robbery and theft, and protect lives.
There are several strategic ways to incorporate bullet-resistant glazing into a commercial space, depending on the layout and risk profile of your business.
Your front-facing glass is often the first — and most vulnerable — line of defense. Replacing standard glass with bullet-resistant panels deters would-be thieves and helps maintain structural integrity during civil unrest and riots or even storms.
For businesses that showcase jewelry, electronics, or other high-value goods, replacing traditional glass display cases with bullet-resistant versions is a smart move.
This not only stops bullets, but also protects against blunt-force smash-and-grab attempts — where criminals use hammers to access inventory within seconds.
If your staff handles cash or sensitive transactions, bullet-resistant enclosures or transaction windows can add a much-needed layer of protection.
Common in check-cashing services and dispensaries, these setups create a physical barrier between employees and would-be attackers, without compromising visibility or customer service.
Even entry-level UL 752 Level 1 glazing can stop three rounds from a 9mm handgun — one of the most common weapons used in armed robberies.
While the upfront cost is certainly higher than standard glass, the long-term ROI from reduced break-ins, insurance claims, and inventory loss makes it a financially sound investment.
Modern bullet-resistant glazing is nearly indistinguishable from regular glass. It offers clear sight lines, natural light, and can even be retrofitted over existing windows.
Alarms and cameras can be deterrents and help after a break-in has occurred, but implementing bulletproof glass for business protection helps prevent forced entry and theft from happening in the first place.
Security systems that rely solely on cameras, alarms, or monitoring services leave a critical gap: they can’t physically stop an intruder or a bullet.
Commercial bulletproof glass fills that gap. It significantly delays or prevents forced entry, protects employees during violent attacks, and creates a larger window of time for law enforcement to respond.
If you're operating in a high-risk industry or area, or simply want to future-proof your business against evolving threats, it’s time to explore bullet-resistant glazing as part of a comprehensive security strategy.
Riot Glass is a leader in advanced security glazing systems for businesses of all sizes. Our experts can help assess your risk profile and recommend the best bullet-resistant solutions for your storefront, interior spaces, or transaction areas.
Contact us today for a free consultation and find out how we can help fortify your business against whatever threats come next.
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