Short answer: Poor security costs a business far more than what gets stolen. The hidden costs are downtime after an incident, insurance deductibles and rising premiums, hours of staff time spent on reports and repairs, liability claims you can't disprove without video, and slow service when a system fails. Add those up for one year and the real number is often well above the loss you remember.
When owners think about the cost of a break-in, they usually think about the missing equipment. That is the line on the police report. The rest of the cost is spread across payroll, insurance and lost business, so it rarely gets added up. Here is where the money actually goes.
1. Direct loss
The stolen tools, inventory, fuel or copper, plus the damaged door, gate or window used to get in. This is the only cost most businesses track.
2. Downtime
A crew that can't start because their tools are gone. A store that opens late because a door was forced. A production line waiting on a replacement part. Multiply the hours lost by what those hours normally produce.
3. Insurance
Every claim comes with a deductible, and repeat claims can raise premiums or change coverage at renewal. Small losses often go unclaimed because they fall under the deductible, which means the business pays all of it.
4. Staff time
Someone pulls video, files the police report, calls the insurer, meets the locksmith and reorders what was taken. That is often a manager's whole day, sometimes more than one.
5. Liability claims
Slip-and-fall claims, parking lot incidents and disputes with vendors are much harder to defend without clear video. A claim you can't disprove can cost more than any theft. Read more in our post on using security footage to prevent liability claims.
6. Slow service when something breaks
A camera that has been down for weeks or a door that won't lock is a cost in itself, because the gap stays open until it is fixed. Long waits for service calls make it worse. Turner's help desk resolves most issues remotely before a truck is needed, and we can often schedule service the same day you call.
A simple worksheet to estimate your cost
Use the last 12 months. Rough numbers are fine.
- Direct loss: value of items stolen plus repair costs.
- Downtime: hours of lost work times average hourly revenue or labor cost.
- Insurance: deductibles paid plus any premium increase at renewal.
- Staff time: hours spent on each incident times that person's hourly cost.
- Liability: claims paid, legal fees and settlements.
- Service gaps: days a camera, door or alarm was out of service.
Compare that total with what it would cost to close the gaps. For many sites the answer is not more cameras but better use of the ones they have: live video monitoring for the hours nobody is there, access control so former employees can't get in and alerts for the events that matter.
Frequently asked questions
Isn't a better security system just another cost?
It is a cost you can plan for, unlike the ones above. Run the worksheet first so the comparison uses your own numbers. Our guide to business security system costs explains typical pricing.
What is the fastest way to lower these costs?
Fix the gaps that caused the last two incidents. That usually means a camera that couldn't see, a door with too many keys out or no one watching after hours.
Do we have to sign a long contract?
No. Turner doesn't require multi-year agreements for security or monitoring.
Find your hidden costs
Request a free assessment and we'll walk your site, review your last few incidents and show you which gaps are costing you the most.
