Tamper-Evident Security Labels: Preventing Theft in the New Millennium
Everyone talks about theft of intellectual property these days, but physical property theft is just as common. Despite increased security measures, even internal employees may steal company property that’s not adequately protected. If caught, employees are subject to strict disciplinary measures but how can you deter theft and unauthorized transfer to begin with? Proactive approaches to protecting property are often more effective than consequences after-the-fact most thieves don’t plan to get caught, so the potential consequences mean little if they get away with the crime.
Theft by Employees is Common
In one survey, more than three-fourths (76 percent) of employees said they’ve stolen something from their place of employment. That could mean anything from a ballpoint pen to a ream of printer paper or even a laptop, but every cent comes out of the company’s bottom line. Clear, written policies on using company assets for personal use or removing it from company property are a good starting point for deterring theft, but there’s more you can do to secure big-ticket items. That’s where tamper-evident security labels come in.
An individual contemplating theft considers the likelihood of being caught. If the odds are slim, they’ll probably go for it banking on the idea that they won’t suffer any consequences. But if measures are in place that increase the likelihood of being proven guilty, many won’t take the risk of losing their jobs and being prosecuted. That’s why measures like security cameras are effective at deterring theft in the workplace.
Tamper-evident security labels leave a clear “VOID” notification behind when the label is removed. Even if the thief removes the label, the property can still be identified as stolen. Taking a laptop from the office, for instance, is risky when the boss comes for dinner and sees what looks like an old company computer—if there’s a void symbol on it, the thief immediately becomes suspect. A little further investigation, and the thief is out of a job and facing criminal charges. For most, it’s a risk that’s just not worth taking.
Data Breach Potential Increases Risks
Even intellectual property and data is at risk today, and physical property plays a role in data security, too. That’s because physical devices like smartphones and laptops give thieves and hackers easy access to an abundance of valuable company data. Even mobile security applications are building in features that make it possible to wipe out all the data on a device, remotely, if it’s lost or stolen as a data protection measure.
While there’s not much you can do if a device is lost other than wipe out data and try to track it down using GPS and other measures, you can help deter device theft through the use of tamper-evident security labels.
Because there are so many different moveable assets that could benefit from a layer of protective security, versatility is key when choosing tamper-evident bar code labels. Visit the Camcode website for more details on tamper-evident security labels and how your enterprise can benefit, not only from the added security, but the ability to improve efficiency through better asset management and other benefits. In the new millennium, enterprises must be proactive about protecting their assets. Tamper-evident bar code labels are a valuable component of any enterprise security plan.
Category: Business
