Written By: Brad Campbell | February 9, 2023
Burglary is a threat that all types of businesses have to worry about. It’s an especially big concern for retail stores full of valuable merchandise and cash.
Luckily, there are many different options available for burglar-proofing windows available to business owners.
It’s important to note that none of the solutions we’ll discuss in this article will make your windows 100% burglar proof on their own, but when you use several of them together they can greatly improve your business’s security.
Also known as glass break detectors, these sensors are a type of burglar alarm for windows that detect when a pane of glass is shattered or broken. They use microphones to listen for sounds of broken glass and shock sensors to feel disruptions to the glass.
When the sensors detect the sound or feeling of broken glass, an alarm is triggered, helping to deter would-be burglars or catch them in the act.
It should be noted that it’s pretty easy for glass break sensors to trigger false alarms, so they aren’t always ideal. They also don’t do anything to physically protect your window glass from breaking.
A monitored alarm system should be part of any comprehensive security system. If and when your business is breached through a window or door, the alarm will alert you and the authorities to the potential burglary.
The presence of an alarm system is often enough to deter burglars from targeting your business, so make sure you post warnings near windows and doors to warn criminals that your property is being monitored 24/7.
A video surveillance system is another great deterrent to criminal activity. Post surveillance cameras in visible places near vulnerable potential points of entry to make sure that would-be intruders know they’re being watched.
These days, you can also stream the feed from surveillance cameras right on your smartphone to keep an eye on your business from anywhere.
In the unfortunate event that your business does become victimized by burglars, surveillance footage can help catch them after the fact, aid in their prosecution, and possibly recover stolen goods.
If your business has windows that open, either by sliding or swinging outwards, it’s important that they have multi-point, jimmy-proof locking systems.
Even if you’ve committed to burglar-proofing windows with reinforced glass of some type, experienced burglars can easily pry open your windows if their locks are not secure.
You can employ a variety of window locks, such as:
Security screens are a special type of window screen that can help with burglar-proofing windows.
Unlike soft mesh bug screens, security screens are made from a tightly woven stainless steel mesh. This material is highly resistant to slashing, smashing, and other types of forced entry attempts.
Apart from installing burglar-proof window glass, security screens are one of the best ways to actually create a physical barrier to forced entry and keep the bad guys on the other side of your business’s windows.
Security window film is a pliable Mylar coating that goes right on top of your existing window glass to add a layer of security and protect against forced entry.
Though it won’t completely burglar-proof windows, it can delay entry long enough to deter would-be intruders or give the police time to arrive.
This product works by holding broken shards of glass in place, rather than letting your windows shatter immediately inwards.
So, if a criminal attempts to gain entry by smashing your windows with a crowbar, a sledgehammer, or another common burglary tool, they are going to be surprised to find that it’s not as easy as they thought it would be!
Available in a wide variety of thicknesses and strengths, laminated security glass is a good option when you want something quite a bit more durable than security window film.
Depending on its level of impact resistance, this type of security glass can actually prevent forced entry altogether. Security laminates can be retrofitted over your existing window glass, creating a formidable barrier in front of it that cannot be easily shattered or broken through.
However, it’s important to note that determined intruders can still break through some types of security laminate after repeated blows.
This is because, to achieve nearly unbreakable strength with laminated security glass, the panels have to be very thick and heavy. Many window framing systems can only support thinner security laminates, which are not truly burglar-proof windows.
Now, all the options for burglar-proofing windows we discussed above are effective when used together, but none of them can protect your window glass 100% against forced entry.
However, there is one final option you have that can provide virtually unbreakable glass protection: polycarbonate glazing shields.
These are clear polycarbonate panels that look and feel very similar to standard window glass but have the unbreakable strength of polycarbonate.
Even just a 1/4-inch-thick sheet of polycarbonate cannot be cracked, shattered, or dislodged after repeated high-force impacts. In fact, only bullets can penetrate 1/4-inch-thick polycarbonate, and even then it remains a barrier to entry.
When it comes to polycarbonate glazing shields, our top pick for retailers and other commercial facilities is:
Check out the video below to see just how effective these polycarbonate glazing shields are:
For more information about using ArmorPlast™ AP25 for burglar-proofing windows, or to schedule a consultation with our security glass experts, contact us today.
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