As the song goes, it’s summertime and the living is easy. It means beaches, swimming, and fun activities. Unfortunately, it’s not so fun for businesses. Not only does summer bring in a heat wave but also a crime wave.
The Connection Between Summer and Crime Rising
An article from Texas A&M University references a USC study that has found violent crime goes up by almost 6% when the temperature is higher than 85 degrees. However, researchers believe there are other factors besides warmer weather leading to the increase of crime in the summer.
One factor is socioeconomic status. Individuals don’t have what they need to survive the heat. They may not be able to stay indoors as much as they need to or can’t afford air conditioning. Therefore, they resort to crime to solve the problem.
A sociology major points out that people tend to be more miserable in the summer. During the colder months, individuals aren’t annoyed as easily during the brutal summer months.
Forbes reports that there were 278 mass shootings during the summer of 2022. This comprises 86% of the 324 shootings that occurred in the whole year. Moreover, the story refers to multiple studies including the American Journal of Public Health, Bureau of Justice Statistics report, and National Bureau of Economic Research.
These looked at seasonal patterns and criminal trends. They discover that there are more violent crimes during the hot months than in any other season. The National Bureau of Economic Research tracked violent crime patterns across almost 40 correctional facilities. It turns out that inmate violent crimes rise by 18% in the summer.
Researchers believe it’s partly due to the higher body temperature that leads to an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. When these numbers are higher, people feel more uncomfortable. Another cause of crime rising in the summer is due to school being closed for the summer. People have more free time and spend it outside.
Lieutenant Jeffrey M. Erickson from the Escanaba Department of Public Safety tells The Daily Press that crime increases during the summer months. The representative specifically referenced breaking and entering into vehicles.
“The increase seems to come as a result of a couple of things. First and foremost, it’s the nice weather and secondly, kids are out of school or getting close to being done with school for the summer,” Erickson says.
Ericson also attributes the crime rise in the summer to school being out. Crimes occur anywhere including shopping centers, retail stores, and commercial buildings hosting doctor’s offices.
Another factor is redlining. This is discrimination in terms of not granting loans and mortgages based on an individual’s race. A study in the Journal of Public Economics looked at the connection between crime and heat based on high- and low-poverty areas.
The study shows a stronger relationship between heat and crime in high-poverty neighborhoods. Crime rises in areas based on building age and urban greenery. The crime rate is five times higher in high-poverty areas than in low-poverty neighborhoods.
Summer Crime Rises Affects Many Businesses
No industry or business is safe when it comes to rising summer crime. The crime wave affects any business with parked cars, retail centers, commercial buildings, and apartment communities.
Car theft
Automotive dealerships and businesses with parking lots need to be concerned. The Daily Texan says the database shared among law enforcement agencies shows car theft is highest during the summer. For example, Austin saw the most auto thefts in August followed by November and June. Therefore, dealership security is a must.
Retail and shopping centers
Retail stores and shopping centers cannot rest easy. The National Retail Federation (NRF) report on the state of national retail security indicates retail crime, violence, and theft continue to pummel the industry at record levels. Shrink in 2022 is responsible for more than $112 billion in losses. This is an increase from $94 billion in 2021.
“While retail shrink encompasses many types of loss, it is primarily driven by theft, including organized retail crime (ORC). Theft – both internal and external – accounts for nearly two-thirds (65%) of retailers’ shrink. However, for some sectors, theft can represent more than 70% of overall shrink,” states the NRF report.
The report goes on to say retailers are also worried about the heightened levels of violence associated with crimes. Most respondents reveal that shoplifters and organized retail crime (ORC) rings were more aggressive and violent than in the previous year.
In response to the increase in shoplifting, some retailers have taken drastic measures to lock more products behind antitheft glass according to The Dallas Morning News. Apparently, retailers are locking up everyday items like socks, body wash, diapers, ibuprofen, detergent, and even $2 car fresheners.
Unfortunately, this is preventing customers from shopping at stores. Customers quoted in the story say the friction associated with the locking up of products affects the shopping experience. Since stores have taken away from the experience, customers are switching to online shopping.
The person who wanted a car freshener said $2 wasn’t worth spending 10 minutes to find an employee to come unlock the glass case. Another customer said the same about buying shampoo.
It also left customers with an uneasy feeling as the locked items hint crime is a problem. A Walgreens spokesperson told the newspaper that one of the biggest challenges for the retail industry is crime.
Apartment communities and commercial properties
The crime rates for apartment and multifamily residential buildings as well as commercial properties vary by location and neighborhood. It’s difficult to get general statistics about the multifamily residential and office building industry. Rather, a better approach is to look at property crime in the U.S. Pew Research indicates property crimes are more common than violent crimes.
The most frequent property crimes include larceny/theft, motor vehicle theft, and burglary. Behind those are violent crimes with aggravated assault leading by far.
The nature of apartments, condos, and office buildings comes with security challenges. They often contain multiple entry points, shared common and public spaces, and diverse groups of residents and employees.
These vulnerabilities can make apartment and commercial buildings appealing targets for crime including theft, unauthorized access, and vandalism. Residents, employees, and the building itself are at risk when there aren’t sufficient apartment security measures in place.
Construction sites
Criminals view construction sites as attractive targets because the assets found on them can be worth a lot of money. Just look at the cost of large equipment theft based on the National Equipment Register (NER) equipment theft report. Large equipment theft costs anywhere between $300 million and $1 billion.
This data is based on those reported thefts. Furthermore, with fewer than 25% of equipment being recovered, many won’t report it for fear of paying higher insurance premiums. Once a crime or theft on a construction site occurs, the repercussions can be more than the value of the items stolen. Theft disrupts the construction project and could result in paying project-delay penalties.
A lot of construction equipment is priced much higher than a few years ago due to inflation. Even the cost of pre-owned or used equipment has soared in recent years.
Top Ways Businesses Can Fight Crime Rising in the Summer
The damage from any kind of crime is far-reaching. All these businesses must fortify security to counteract rising crimes and help protect everyone in the business. Here are the top ways to help avert crime and the damage associated with it.
Partner with the community and police
Meet and connect with police officers and business leaders. Consider hosting a few meetings a year to talk about the latest reports on crimes. Another option is to create a private online group to stay on top of problems and things happening in the neighborhood.
Building a relationship with the police may compel them to drive by your business on a regular basis. Officers sometimes work in their parked vehicles. Invite them to do that in your parking lot and provide refreshments. They may also offer free security reviews. They can survey the neighborhood and business to make recommendations on how to improve security.
Enforce policies and procedures
Create policies related to security and business processes. For example, new employees should receive training in security processes and procedures. Train employees in how to handle different situations.
They should learn about the company’s security. It will make them less likely to commit a crime. All employees should receive a refresher at least once a year as security is not something you want them to slack on.
Protect the perimeter
Perimeter security helps protect construction sites, commercial buildings, retail centers, multifamily residential communities, automotive dealerships as well as everything surrounding the business including the parking areas. Perimeter security includes lighting, fencing, and landscaping.
Use video surveillance with remote monitoring
Most traditional security systems react rather than deter crimes. This means they don’t do anything while the crime is in progress. Video surveillance with remote monitoring that contains artificial intelligence and trained monitoring operators can deter crimes before they happen.
This involves strategically installing security cameras around the business. Artificial intelligence and a monitoring operator work together to watch for potential problems in real time. When they identify a potential problem, the operator can issue verbal warnings over a speaker without being on the property. If this doesn’t deter the intruders, the operator can call the police who often arrive before the criminals leave.
When you apply these top ways, you can create a safer and more secure environment for your employees, customers, residents, and visitors. This works year-round, not just when crime rises in the summer months.
For more information about video surveillance and other crime prevention solutions, please contact us.
