This blog looks at one of the techniques most commonly used by thieves to “rip off” a shutter. The thieves, who were filmed by a surveillance camera, were able to gain access to a bicycle shop.

Now let’s see in detail how they break in through the shutter, the security systems adopted by the shopkeeper and what measures can be taken to avoid this type of burglary.

This video shows the thieves in action:

The dynamics:

After having forced and pulled outwards the meshes of the shutter the thieves secure them to a chain, which is in turn attached to a vehicle for pulling. The vehicle accelerates and moves forward and once it reaches its maximum extension it starts to pull the shutter outwards until it breaks. In order to enter the shop it is now only necessary to break the glass with a blunt instrument.

The various types of shutters

When premises are rented or purchased it is worth looking not only at the floor space, the luminosity and the facilities for the future shop but also the type of shutter which has been fitted. In fact, not all shutters are the same and the advantages which one type of shutter can offer will not be provided by another. Let’s see the most common:

– MESH SHUTTER –

This type of shutter, which is characterised by a mesh of tubular elements which create rectangular or round shapes, is probably the most widespread.

We will all have walked past closed shops at least once when it has still been possible to see the goods displayed in the shop window,so that we can take a mental note of those items which we will return to see when the shop is open. This is the important advantage of the mesh type shutter: an attractive advantage for the shopkeeper, who, thanks to the visibility provided by this type of shutter, can continue to attract new customers to the shop even outside normal opening hours. On the other hand, the mesh type shutter can also provide unwelcome surprises. In fact, in terms of security, the free space between the various elements could allow thieves to introduce burglary tools to open the meshes of the shutter and then break the shop window with a blunt instrument, exactly as happens in the video.

– SECURITY SHUTTER –

Another type of shutter is the security shutter, which, as the name says, can provide a greater degree of protection thanks to the full elements from which it is made.

Unfortunately, in this case, once the shopkeeper as pulled down the shutter at closing time it will not be possible for the shop window to perform a “passive” activity, since this type of shutter will completely obscure the inside of the shop. It should be noted that what will be hidden from any potential customers will also be hidden from thieves, which could therefore discourage them from carrying out a burglary and make it less easy. In fact, since there are no empty spaces, the thieves will not be able to introduce burglary tools very easily.

Obviously, even though this type of shutter provides greater protection than mesh type shutters, security is not guaranteed even in this case.

In order to achieve the correct degree of protection it will be necessary to set up the shutter with adequate security systems.  For example, as already discussed and seen in the video in this blog, a bell lock which is not well anchored to the shutter and to the ground will not be sufficient to prevent thieves from carrying out a burglary.

The aesthetic factor may, however, be easily overcome, since it is possible to leave a positive impression to passers-by by making the shutter more attractive and giving an idea of the items which are for sale inside the shop. Here you can see the ideas of some shopkeepers:

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These shutters will certainly not go unnoticed and whoever stops to look, even just for a minute, will keep in their mind a positive image of the shop.

You just need to find an expert in the sector or simply a friend who has some artistic flair.