Common Physical Security Threats for Businesses

November 17, 2022

Security is among the critical aspects of successful business operations. Unfortunately, many business owners are unaware of the prevalence of physical security threats. Instead, business owners tend to focus more on cyber threats and forget that physical threats are just as common, if not more. This mistake allows criminals to take advantage of businesses with weak physical security.

To protect your business fully and leave no gaps for criminals to exploit, discover the common physical security threats for businesses and how to prevent them.

Tailgating

Tailgating is a security breach where an unauthorized person follows an authorized individual into a secured area. The intruder doesn't need to go through the hassle of breaking in since they can piggyback on the authorized individual.

For example, an employee may forget to close and lock the door after they've entered the building. An intruder can easily take advantage of this mistake and follow the employee in. Once the intruder is inside, they can roam around undetected. Several strategies can help you prevent tailgating, as follows.

Educate Employees on the Importance of Physical Security

Many times, employees are the reason why tailgating occurs. Unfortunately, the workers may forget to close and lock doors. Educate your employees on the importance of physical security. Remind the employees to close and lock doors after entering or exiting the building.

Invest in Visitor Badges

If your business receives visitors frequently, invest in visitor badges. Give the badges to authorized individuals who can escort visitors inside the building. The badges help you track who's supposed to be inside the building.

Vandalism

Vandalism occurs when someone intentionally damages property. Businesses can become targets of vandalism for various reasons, such as political disagreements, competition, or personal grudges.

Consequently, vandalism can lead to costly repairs and negatively affect your business's reputation. To prevent vandalism, install surveillance cameras and get vandal-proof equipment. Additionally, hire security guards to watch over the surveillance cameras. This trick ensures that the security guards can see crimes as they happen in real-time and take the necessary measures.

Burglary

Burglary is the unlawful entry into a building with the intent to commit a crime, such as theft. Burglars typically target unoccupied businesses during off-hours, such as at night or on weekends. The burglars may break into the business through windows, doors, or by cutting holes in the roof.

Investing in an alarm system is the trick to minimizing the chances of a burglary. Additionally, have a security guard on duty during off-hours. Finally, ensure that your building is well-lit and visible from the street. These measures will make it harder for burglars to break into your business undetected.

Document Theft

Document theft is the unauthorized taking of confidential or proprietary information. The information can be in physical or electronic form. Businesses often store a lot of confidential information, which makes the premises susceptible to document theft.

An employee may accidentally leave company documents in a public place. An intruder may also break into the business premises to steal hard copies of documents. To prevent document theft, have a policy that requires employees to properly store and secure company documents.

The above threats can quickly spiral out of control and become costly if you do not prevent or mitigate the risks on time. Use physical security measures to protect your business from these threats. While you have numerous security options, very few beat the efficiency of security guards. The guards ensure timely threat mitigation before any harm occurs.

You can trust us at Spear Security to provide unarmed security guards to watch over your company. We aim to offer maximum protection on all your business valuables, so you can have peace of mind when in and out of your premises. Contact us for a consultation.

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Private Security Company vs. In-House Guards: What Los Angeles Businesses Save and Risk

October 23, 2026

Running a business in Los Angeles means dealing with a lot of moving parts, and security is one that too many owners put off until something goes wrong. When that moment comes, the question is almost always the same: should you build your own in-house security team, or bring in a professional firm? The answer isn’t as obvious as it looks on paper. The Real Cost of Going In-House Hiring your own guards sounds simple until you actually try it. You’re not just paying an hourly wage — you’re covering recruitment, background checks, licensing, uniforms, payroll taxes, workers’ comp, liability insurance, and ongoing training. And in a city like Los Angeles, where turnover in entry-level roles is high, you’ll likely be doing that hiring process more than once a year. There’s also the management burden. Someone on your team now has to supervise guards, handle call-outs, build schedules, and deal with HR issues — on top of whatever job they were actually hired to do. For most small and mid-sized businesses, that’s a quiet drain on time and focus that doesn’t show up on a spreadsheet. Where Outsourcing Pulls Ahead This is exactly why so many businesses end up working with private security guard companies in Los Angeles instead of building their own teams from scratch. A reputable firm already carries the licensing, insurance, and liability coverage required under California law, so that risk sits with them, not you. Guards come pre-trained, pre-vetted, and ready to rotate in if someone calls out sick — no scrambling, no coverage gaps. Cost-wise, it’s often more predictable too. You’re paying for a service contract rather than absorbing the hidden expenses that come with employment. And because private security guard companies in Los Angeles manage staffing across multiple clients, they can flex coverage up or down based on your actual needs — something that’s nearly impossible to do with a small in-house crew. The Trade-Off Worth Understanding Outsourcing isn’t without its own considerations. You’re trusting an outside company with your site, your staff, and sometimes your reputation, so vetting the firm matters just as much as vetting an employee would. The businesses that get the best results tend to choose private security guard companies in Los Angeles with a long operating history, verifiable licensing, and guards who are trained specifically for the type of property or event being protected. For most Los Angeles businesses, the math favors partnering with an established firm over building an internal team. Spear Security has spent more than 30 years protecting properties, businesses, and events across Southern California, offering trained, licensed guards without the overhead of running security in-house. Spear Security | (323) 962-7515 | info@spearsecurity.com | 1642 North Cahuenga Blvd. Suite 201, Hollywood, CA 90028 | spearsecurity.com

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