Graffiti damage can be seen at shopping centers, multifamily apartments, car dealerships, warehouses, and other retail and industrial properties. Vandals often tag outdoor assets to mark gang territory or to promote a message. Graffiti is sometimes called a victimless crime, but this is not true.
Businesses can spend thousands of dollars removing markings, repairing physical damage, and restoring the state of their property. In the interim graffiti damages the reputation of the business. Ongoing graffiti may lead to less foot traffic, fewer tenants, and loss of revenue.
Security Magazine discussed five ways to help prevent permanent graffiti damage and vandalism for commercial properties.
Surface Protection Films
Surface protection films can protect your building and outdoor assets from graffiti damage. Protection films can also be placed over windows. Removing spray paint from windows can be extremely difficult. Windows, mirrors, and other glass surfaces are more fragile than walls and prove to be more expensive for graffiti removal.
Surface protection films provide a barrier against most forms of vandalism. This includes scratches, acid etching, gouges, and graffiti. It can help preserve a commercial property’s exterior aesthetic. Most films can be replaced easily, which is less expensive than glass replacement.
Flood Lights
Most graffiti vandals strike at night, making strong lights a good deterrent. The additional lighting gives the illusion that someone is watching. Flood lights also help security cameras capture a better picture of the vandal.
Security Cameras
Video surveillance cameras are a strong deterrent against would-be vandals. Criminals do not want to be identified. Outdoor surveillance cameras can be placed at gates, back alleys, and buildings to record trespassers for use in suspect investigation and police evidence. The best use of security cameras is with live monitoring where remote video operators actually are watching in real-time and can play on-site speakers warnings and call police.
Anti-Graffiti Paint
Anti-graffiti paint prevents spray paint from sticking to a surface. There are three different types of anti-graffiti paint, sacrificial coatings, semi-sacrificial coatings, and permanent coatings. The coatings form a protective barrier that deter paint from bonding to the surface. If there is graffiti damage, it can be removed with a pressure washer and a new coat reapplied if necessary.
Barriers
Barriers such as hedges, fences, and shrubbery can deter vandals from damaging your property. For the vandals, it may take too much effort to get past the barriers and tag your property.
Stealth Monitoring and UCIT Online are the leader in live video surveillance in the U.S. and Canada with over 400 employees, 11 offices, and 3 live video monitoring control centers. Stealth proactive video monitoring watches over 17,000 IP and CCTV security cameras. Our security solutions feature advanced technology and can detect and deter crime while reducing security guard and other expenses. Stealth’s remote monitoring service can reduce or even replace security guards at a fraction of the cost. A remote surveillance operator can see suspicious activity, activate a speaker warning, and call the local police.
Please call toll-free (866) 382-3873 or contact Stealth today for more information to protect your outdoor assets. Visit the Stealth web site to see real videos of criminals being arrested at construction sites, multifamily apartments, shopping centers, office buildings, warehouses, auto dealerships, and other commercial real estate properties.
