How Tailored Security System Installation Can Help Prevent Smash and Grabs
Originally posted on 21 July 2025
Smash-and-grab robberies are fast, destructive crimes where burglars force entry by typically breaking windows or doors, they then quickly steal merchandise. These incidents are increasingly common across Southern Ontario, leaving businesses with costly damage, stolen equipment, and shaken staff. Investing in security system installation tailored to deter and respond to these attacks is one of the most effective ways for business owners to protect their property, merchandise, and employees. With well-placed commercial security cameras and advanced features tailored to your property, you can help deter break-ins and robberies and better identify perpetrators in the case of an incident. At Engineered Alarm Solutions Inc., we design sophisticated security systems that give you peace of mind, enhanced visibility, and increased protection, from security films, security bars, smart cameras, to alarm systems in Toronto. Starting with a consultation and on-site audit, our team will provide meaningful solutions for you.
Why Smash-and-Grabs Are So Dangerous for Businesses?
Smash-and-grab incidents typically happen during off-hours, often targeting storefronts with visible inventory or minimal security. Criminals rely on speed and surprise, breaking windows or doors and fleeing with goods before police or responders arrive. For small- and medium-sized businesses, the financial toll can be devastating. Losses include not only stolen merchandise but also the cost of property repairs, business interruptions, and increased insurance premiums.
Beyond the immediate damage, there’s the emotional toll. Business owners and employees are left feeling violated and vulnerable. Proactive preventative measures are key to preventing smash and grabs.
Benefits of Tailored Security System Installation
Not all security systems are created equal. A generic, one-size-fits-all approach may leave critical blind spots or fail to address the unique security or surveillance vulnerabilities of your specific property. A tailored security system installation with Engineered Alarm Solutions Inc. starts with a site assessment where we focus on identifying key access points, risk areas, and traffic flow patterns to design a system that protects every angle. Based on our audit, we will make recommendations that make sense for your business and budget. When you invest in a commercial security system with us, you can count on reliability, scalability, and flexibility, which means better visibility, control and peace of mind.
What Can You Include in Your Commercial Security System
With a customized setup, businesses can choose to include a combination of alarms, sensors, locks, motion detectors, outdoor sirens, commercial security cameras, outdoor curtains, intercoms, security film, security bars, and more. These systems can enable real-time alerts and remote monitoring, allowing you to easily and seamlessly view footage from your smartphones or trigger an alarm immediately when suspicious activity is detected and before the break-in occurs. You can also opt for 24/7 alarm monitoring with our partners at Lanvac Monitoring for around-the-clock alarm monitoring, which enables reliable remote monitoring and responses to alarms.
- Security Film: A popular and effective addition in retail stores and other commonly targeted businesses is security film. Strategically placed on the window, security film stops passersby from being able to look into your business, and it can reinforce the glass to prevent breaking.
- Security Bars: If the aesthetics of the store is not affected by the Security Bars, they are a great visual deterrent. These bars are well designed to blend in with the design of the premises and to prevent robbers from reaching the interior locks and opening the doors through the broken glass. Alternatively, the security bars can be retractable/expandable, so they are only extended and visible after business hours.
- Commercial Security Cameras: Commercial security cameras do more than just capture footage. They also can trigger a siren/strobe or send a message to potential thieves that there are eyes on them, which can help deter crime before it happens. Cameras with facial recognition could also trigger an alarm (and a message to the management team) if an unwelcome person is approaching the premises. Strategic security camera installation can help prevent you and your business from being targeted.
- Outdoor Perimeter Alarms: Outdoor curtains and similar alarm systems create non-visible boundaries throughout the perimeter of your property, such as the parking lot, and can help detect unwanted traffic before it reaches your property. This technology allows you, or our monitoring stations, to address the situation faster, minimizing damage or stopping the incident altogether.
- Building Automation Systems (BAS): Building automation systems can help deter crime because automatically programmed features like lights, curtains, music, and locks can be controlled on a schedule or remotely from your device, which can imitate the sights and sounds of a fully occupied building. Because most robberies occur after everyone has left the premises, this can decrease the perceived opportunity burglars believe they have, encouraging them to stay away.
Minimize Opportunity for Robberies with Engineered Alarm Solutions Inc.
Working with Engineered Alarm Solutions Inc., a trusted provider of security cameras and alarm systems, is essential. Our team of local professionals are familiar with the most common vulnerabilities and can tailor your solutions accordingly. Whether you run a retail store, restaurant, warehouse, or showroom, investing in a smart, layered security system can significantly reduce the chances of smash-and-grab robberies and other security breaches.
Don’t wait for an incident to make security a priority. Act now by talking to the team at Engineered Alarm Solutions Inc.
