If you’re a business owner in Sacramento and you’re concerned about the seeming increase in break-ins and theft, you’re not alone. You’re also not wrong to be concerned. Break-ins are increasing across the board in the county. Overall, Sacramento has 34.62 victims of property crimes for every 1,000 residents (Neighborhood Scout.) Not only is this higher than the country’s overall median of 21, but it is also higher than the California-wide median of 23.31, by quite a bit.

Further, as a city, Sacramento is rated among the top ten worst cities for retail theft, and non-retail businesses are not faring much better either. Even if you are out in Folsom or Walnut Grove, it is likely that your business has seen an uptick in loss and other crime. Plus, your risk of a break-in has increased. Overall, any individual’s risk of being the victim of a violent property crime in Sacramento County is one in 24.

What exactly is driving this increase in business break-ins, and is there anything you should be doing to protect your business?

The Latest Burglaries

The latest string of burglaries has elevated Sacramento’s crime problem to the level of national concern. According to KCRA, from late-night November 2nd to the early morning of November 3rd, seven different burglaries targeted businesses in downtown Sacramento. Windows and doors were smashed open, and cash and inventory were stolen. As these burglaries all happened in close proximity of one another, between J and L streets and 10th and 12th streets, it is possible a single person or group orchestrated them, but police currently have no suspects. That’s a frustrating reality for businesses in the area who want the criminals to be brought to justice.

Break-ins continue to plague businesses in this area, even those that are not usually the most high-priority targets. A tequila bar owned by Ernesto Delgado was hit in the latest burglaries and was already broken into four other times earlier this year. Delgado has a security system and has had to pay for repairs to the business’ doors and windows five times in 2021 alone. Nothing has deterred the thieves.

The department will be increasing patrols in this area in response to the latest burglaries and are hopeful this will help.

Who Is Committing These Crimes?

In general, some individual actors commit crimes against businesses in the county, but the larger threat is from organized crime rings. These rings compel or motivate the homeless or youth (the latter are typically not from Sacramento) to commit theft and bring back the stolen goods. These goods are then sold, and the proceeds support other criminal activities.

These crime rings exist throughout California, but more than 93% of counties in California have a lower crime rate than Sacramento. Why? Experts speculate that organized crime rings prefer to target Sacramento because it is easy to access via the highway. This makes it easier to take the goods out of the county.

Community Resources to Reduce Business Break-Ins

There are a few community resources and initiatives in Sacramento County that you can support to help reduce overall business break-ins:

  • Register your cameras: Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department has a program called the Sheriff’s Electronic Eye (S.E.E.) Camera Registry Program. Businesses and individuals can register their cameras so that police know to ask for footage if a crime was potentially committed near or in front of the camera. This does not give the police access to your camera without your permission. There is no remote viewing.
  • Submit tips: Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers requests tips for specific crimes. Following their Twitter account can help you stay up-to-date with crimes in your areas. The more popular the service, the more people who might be able to help when it is your business they are posting about.
  • Support political solutions: California Highway Patrol has a retail task force but funding for it is set to expire soon. There is a bill to extend it until 2026 in the State Legislature right now, and signaling your support to your local representative could help it pass. Further, in Sacramento, the county wants to increase the police budget. However, some groups oppose this. You can choose to support the budget increase and look into specifically where the funds are going.

How Can You Protect Your Business?

What steps should you be taking to limit your business’ exposure to theft? Many large retailers, including Target, are responding by shortening their business hours–which is not exactly a business-friendly solution to the problem. Others have been forced to close altogether. This is particularly distressing for medium and small businesses, where relocating isn’t an option, and the cost of theft and of property repairs may become a significant chunk of the budget. You have other options to help limit the impact of break-ins on your business:

  • Get repairs quickly: The longer your business has a smashed window or door, the more would-be thieves see the property as vulnerable or an easy mark for next time. Prevent repeated theft by getting professional commercial door services as soon as possible after the break-in.
  • Choose higher-quality options: Especially for those businesses which are repeatedly broken into, it may be worthwhile to invest in windows and doors that are significantly stronger against forced entry. Steel doors are an unusual choice for a storefront, but in some circumstances, they may be necessary to protect your business from further victimization. While higher-quality doors and door hardware can be costly, if they prevent a few break-ins, they can save you repair costs and end up paying for themselves.
  • Safety training for staff: Some of the most tragic stories of break-ins in Sacramento are when staff or customers get hurt. Be sure that your staff are trained in how to handle break-ins, how to help customers get to safety, and avoid putting themselves in harm’s way. Their life should not be on the line.

Reach out to the professionals at CLAD to get specific advice about your unique property and how you can best reduce your risks of becoming a victim in the Sacramento business break-in crime wave.