Guest Blog: Tis the Season for Layered Security. Protecting Your Property from Holiday Package Thieves

Guest blog by Ed Burnett

After more than a decade as the VP of Security and Global Fraud Investigations for UPS, I am all too familiar with the risks to apartment complexes during the holiday season. 

I thought I’d share a few thoughts that might help protect your property, starting with having a layered security approach.

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What is a layered security approach?

Based on the notion that the whole is stronger than the sum of its parts, a layered security architecture uses multiple security measures to protect your properties. Ideally, every security measure has a backup to counter any flaws,  gaps, or technology failures. 

No matter what security measures you have, there’s always room to add layers, and no better time to add them, even if temporarily, than between Black Friday and January 1st. 

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How do you add layers?

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I. Assess what you have & establish a budget

Add up lockboxes, desk staffing, cameras, access control, training for staff and residents, signs, everything. Ask management for a budget for holiday security. Even If your mailroom security is minimal, only lockboxes, keep in mind that during the holiday season, those rooms will get full. Deliveries will spill over the front door as well.  

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II. Optimize existing staffing layers

• Staffing the front desk longer hours with a guard or manager
• Keeping packages locked in the office
• Contacting the carrier to set up a trailer on the property for the holiday season

Keep in mind that while these are easily implemented, staffing can get surprisingly expensive and difficult during the holidays. Technology layers, do not. 

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III. Optimize your technology layers

• Cameras - If you don’t have cameras in your mailroom, add a couple.
• If you do have cameras in there, add AI surveillance so you get alerts.
• If you have AI, consider remote guarding until January 1st, so temptation is removed. 

Whatever level of security you have, add one more, just for the season.

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IV. Finishing touches

Two quick and easy things you can do: place signage everywhere regarding your new measures. I also encourage you to invite your local police in for a coffee regularly, in the hope they will visit your property more often.

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Come to our webinar to discuss your challenges

Have questions? Understandable - there’s a lot more to cover. And there’s absolutely no time to waste if you want new measures installed before the holiday season. 

I encourage you all to attend “Holiday Package Protection: An Expert’s Guide to Multifamily Security” I’ll be taking questions!

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About Ed Burnett

Ed Burnett is the retired VP for Security and Global Fraud Investigations at UPS. During his tenure, he led the largest joint UPS and law enforcement investigation in the company’s history involving 17 police jurisdictions. He went on to win California’s Investigation of the Year Award in 2019. Previously, he served as a Military Investigator for the U.S. Army in Wiesbaden, Germany.

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