By Mark Signa

	‘The majority of office thefts reported to the police could possibly be prevented.’

When you leave home to run to the store do you leave your doors unlocked? Most people would answer that they always lock up when they leave. No one wants to come home to a burglarized house and find they’ve lost their computers, stereos, and other valuables.

So do you do the same thing at the office? Unlike their homes, many people don’t lock up their offices when they run errands.

How often do you walk past open offices with laptop computers, purses, or other valuables left out in plain view? Even if the myth of “I’ll be gone for just a minute” was true, it only takes about 10 seconds for someone to walk into your office, take your laptop (or purse) and walk out.

So why do we do it? I personally believe that there are three main reasons for leaving the office open.

1) Convenience: I am totally guilty of this. I just want to go get something “really quick” and it’s a pain to keep digging out the keys to unlock my door. Yep, that’s annoying. But you know what’s even more annoying and time consuming? Making 25 phone calls to cancel credit cards, replace your driver’s license, order new car keys, replace your purse or wallet, etc. Now factor in if someone uses your ID or credit cards. It’s going to take 10 times as many hours to clear your name and get your credit back on track.

2) It’s just my office: The computer that was taken may not belong to you, but what about all of the work you had on it? The value of computers is not just measured in dollars but also in productivity, and personal time and effort.

3) It’s mid-day and lots of my co-workers are around: Of course we have lots of co-workers who would gladly keep an eye on our office. But unless they are sharing the office, do you think that they are going to be able to watch continuously?

Part of my job with the UCSB Police Department is doing security surveys for buildings and offices. This entails walking around a building looking for security problems.

I often walk into offices (in street clothes) and look around. It’s surprisingly rare when someone challenges me as to why I am there or who I am—even in secured areas.

Here are a few simple steps to take to secure your office and property. Nothing is a guarantee that someone won’t break in and still rip you off, but the majority of office thefts that are reported to the police could possibly be prevented by these suggestions:

1) Lock your doors. Most daytime office thefts are crimes of opportunity in which someone walks by an open office and sees a chance to take a valuable item quickly.

2) Don’t leave valuable items in plain sight. If you have to leave and you can’t lock your door, at least put your personal belongings inside your desk. Laptops are popular these days. Use cable locks to secure a laptop to your desk.

3) Let your co-workers know you are going to be gone and when you will be back.

4) Say hello to strangers walking through. Not only is this friendly, but it helps in two ways. First of all it makes the potential thief realize that someone has seen him (or her). Secondly, it also helps you to remember seeing someone after a theft has been committed.

5) At night, make sure your windows and doors are all secured. Don’t rely on only the main doors to the building being locked.

6) Consider an alarm system for your office or department. If you’re curious, call Facilities Management at x4156; they can offer some reasonable options to suit your needs.

7) If you see something suspicious or unusual, call the police. That’s why we’re here. Most people are just lost or curious, but sometimes they are more than that.

Following these suggestions is no guarantee your office will never have a theft. But it is surprising how many times a simple precaution protects one office from being victimized while the office next door gets plundered faster than mouthful of gold fillings at a pirate convention.