by Kevin Hill Spara Group
First, I chose this article photo because it showed someone prying into a business’ backdoor. This illustrates my message, but cannabis burglaries don’t often happen during daylight hours. It seems more likely that this is a picture of a distraught GM who has lost their badge and is frantically trying in vain to gain entry to the building before their Retail Director discovers!
Rear-door burglaries account for most cannabis thefts in the United States. This is because they are more easily concealed behind the structure than at the streetside. Burglars love this method of entry. This means that we can focus our efforts on strengthening one door to reduce overnight vulnerabilities.
Two types of theft deterrents are almost always built into rear commercial doors: one that is designed and one that is just luck. They are usually made of metal and swing outward, rather than into the area due to fire escape mandates. A breaching perspective will show that it is easier for a bad person to force open a door by using inward force (kicking or shouldering, etc.). It is much easier to pry the doorway open from the outside than from within. Once they have established this, burglars will need to open these doors in order to gain entry.
We now know where the bad guys are likely to be coming from and how they will do it. Now we just need to find a product that makes it nearly impossible for them to enter. I will list three options for each price point and consideration.
Common Latch Guard:
The latch guard is a thin strip of metal that covers the space between the frame and the door. It is much harder to get a bite with a pry instrument by placing it in the above space. These guards usually measure 6-8 inches in length and are placed over the area where the door latches to its frame. However, I recommend that a full-length latchguard be used to cover the entire length of the door. The shorter guard may prevent criminals from entering, but they could cause damage to the doorway that would require it to be replaced. This can lead to compliance issues, and store closures. These will be available in local locksmiths and can usually be installed for $500.
“Panic bar” styled exit system:
These systems can be described as a panic bar with steroids. When deployed, the system attaches to the door’s interior with retracting bolts. When the handle is pressed, the bolts retract and the doorway opens. These systems can often be outfitted with an alarm system that can be programmed for sounding when the door is opened. You can also order an electrical kit to integrate with your access control system. This option is available for around $1000.
“Three Point” bolting systems:
The “Three Point” bolting system is at the top of the range. These systems include a heavy latch and two additional bolts at the top and bottom. These systems can be integrated into your access control system to allow authorized users to badge in from the outside. Although these systems are expensive at around $2,200 each, they include all hardware necessary for the door. This means that you can save some hardware costs.
These are three ways to greatly reduce the chance of a break in.
Kevin spent 22 years with the City of Tulsa Police Department. He was a Disaster Response Team member and an investigator for the violent crimes task force.
Kevin left the Tulsa Police Department in 2018 to join Harvest Health and Recreation. This is a top ten vertically-integrated, multi-state cannabis company. Kevin was Harvest’s National Safety Director from 2018 to 2021, when Harvest was purchased by Trulieve, a cannabis industry giant. Kevin was promoted to National Security Director at Trulieve. He oversees all aspects of physical security in 200 retail locations and 15 production facilities. There are 11,000 employees across the United States.
Kevin founded Spara Group in November 2022. This niche cannabis consulting company focuses on offering services related to compliance, physical security, and learning+development throughout the cannabis industry.
Kevin still resides in Tulsa (Oklahoma), where he lives together with his wife Sonya.
If you have any questions, please give me a shout at 918-809-8850 and email kevin@sparagroup.com
Please take care of everyone and thank you all!
The post Member blog: Breaking the Bad, Easy Steps to Secure Your Cannabis Facility – Part 1 was first published on The National Cannabis Industry Association.
