Why Theft and Vandalism Are Rising Problems

Every year, businesses across Canada lose millions of dollars to theft and vandalism. It’s not just big-box stores or warehouses that get hit. Small retail shops, government buildings, and even office complexes are all targets.

According to a Statistics Canada report, police-reported shoplifting has been climbing steadily in recent years. Add in vandalism, graffiti, broken windows, damaged property, and the costs add up fast. For many businesses, it’s not just about replacing stolen items. It’s about paying for repairs, losing productivity, and trying to win back customer trust.

And yet, a lot of facilities still don’t have a strong prevention plan in place. They deal with theft or vandalism after it happens, filing police reports, cleaning up the mess, and absorbing the financial hit. That reactive approach is expensive and stressful.

At Evergreen, we believe there’s a better way. Our trained security staff, smart patrols, and fast incident response protocols are designed to stop problems before they start. We’ve helped retailers, government agencies, and high-value facilities cut theft and vandalism incidents in half by focusing on visibility, strategy, and speed.

This blog will walk you through Evergreen’s proven prevention strategies, why they work, how we apply them, and what they mean for your business.

👉 Want to see how Evergreen can help you slash security incidents before they happen? Learn more here.

The Real Cost of Theft and Vandalism

When people think about theft, they usually picture the value of stolen goods. Maybe it’s a shoplifter walking out of a retail store with a few items. Or maybe it’s someone breaking into a warehouse after hours. But the real cost of theft and vandalism goes way beyond what’s taken.

Here’s what businesses actually deal with:

• Property damage – Broken windows, damaged doors, spray-painted walls, or smashed equipment all cost money to repair.
  
  
• Operational downtime – If a facility is unsafe or equipment is damaged, productivity drops. Sometimes, operations come to a full stop.
  
  
• Increased insurance premiums – Repeated incidents mean higher premiums, and in some cases, lost coverage altogether.
  
  
• Reputation loss – Customers and tenants notice when a building looks unsafe or poorly maintained. A single act of vandalism can turn people away.
  
  
• Employee morale – Staff don’t feel safe working in environments where theft or vandalism happens often. That can lead to higher turnover.
  
  

A 2022 study by the Retail Council of Canada reported that organized retail crime alone costs Canadian businesses billions each year. And that’s not counting vandalism, which brings its own expensive headaches.

As one of Evergreen’s senior managers explains:

“Theft and vandalism are never just ‘small problems.’ Even one broken window can spiral into lost business, higher costs, and staff who don’t feel safe. Prevention is always more cost-effective than cleanup.”

That’s why Evergreen focuses on stopping incidents before they happen. By putting trained eyes and a visible presence on your property, we not only reduce crime but also protect your bottom line.

Annually, theft, robbery, and burglary cost Canadian businesses $10 billion—part of the reason some companies fail altogether. Find out more: Shoplifting in Canada: A Growing Threat to Retail Insurance (Harvard Western).

Why Visible Security Presence Matters

Sometimes the simplest solution is also the most effective. A visible, uniformed security guard on-site is one of the strongest deterrents against theft and vandalism. Why? Because criminals don’t want to get caught and when they see trained professionals on the property, most won’t take the risk.

The psychology of deterrence:

• Perception of risk – A thief weighing their chances of success sees a guard and decides the payoff isn’t worth it.
• Immediate response – Criminals know that if something happens, a trained guard can respond instantly.
• Professionalism – A well-presented security officer sends the message that a facility is well managed, monitored, and not an easy target.

A report by the U.S. Department of Justice highlights that visible patrols reduce crime not just by catching offenders, but by preventing incidents before they occur. Simply put: presence alone makes a difference.

At Evergreen, we’ve seen this play out across all kinds of facilities:

• Retail stores that saw shoplifting attempts drop when a guard was stationed at the entrance.
• Government buildings where vandalism was eliminated after uniformed patrols became routine.
• Industrial yards that deterred trespassers with a combination of security lighting and regular guard patrols.

“Criminals are opportunists. The more visible and professional your security presence, the less attractive your site becomes as a target.” — Evergreen Security Supervisor

Strategic Patrols: Smarter Coverage, Lower Risk

Not all patrols are created equal. Walking the same loop at the same time every day? That’s predictable and criminals notice. That’s why Evergreen takes a different approach. Our patrols are strategic, flexible, and data-driven.

How Evergreen designs patrols that work:

• Risk-based routes – We focus on areas most vulnerable to theft or damage, like loading bays, parking lots, and entry points.
• Unpredictable timing – Patrols are varied to avoid routine patterns. Offenders can’t predict when or where a guard will show up.
• Technology integration – Guards use GPS tracking and digital checkpoint systems so every patrol is logged, verified, and monitored in real time.
• AI enhancements – With AI-powered scheduling and anomaly detection, patrols adjust to what’s happening in the moment.

According to the International Security Journal,  security patrols backed by AI are already cutting risks dramatically by adapting coverage to real-time threats instead of static schedules.

At Evergreen, we’ve applied these strategies to protect:

• Retail parking lots plagued by vehicle break-ins.
• Warehouses vulnerable to theft after hours.
• Government facilities that required extra perimeter checks during high-profile events.

The result? Fewer incidents, less property damage, and more peace of mind for our clients.

Incident Response Protocols: Acting Fast When It Counts

Prevention is always the goal, but sometimes, despite the best security measures, incidents still happen. When they do, the difference between a minor disruption and a major loss often comes down to how fast and how effectively your security team responds.

That’s why Evergreen has detailed incident response protocols in place. Our guards aren’t just trained to watch for trouble; they’re trained to act.

How Evergreen responds when something happens:

• Immediate action – Guards are trained to de-escalate situations quickly and safely, whether it’s stopping a theft in progress or handling vandalism.
• Clear communication – Incidents are reported in real time to supervisors and clients, so there are no surprises.
• Law enforcement coordination – When police or emergency services are needed, Evergreen staff follow clear procedures to ensure a smooth handoff.
• Detailed documentation – Every incident is logged with times, actions taken, and outcomes. This protects clients against liability and supports insurance claims.

An article from Security Magazine notes that organizations with strong incident response plans recover faster and suffer fewer losses than those without. In other words response is just as important as deterrence.

As one of our Evergreen Security Managers explains:

“In an emergency, seconds count. Our team knows exactly what to do and who to contact, which keeps situations under control before they spiral.”

This proactive response culture means our clients don’t just get guards; they get a reliable system for handling the unexpected.

Proven Results: Cutting Incidents in Half

It’s one thing to talk about prevention strategies, it’s another to prove they actually work. At Evergreen, we’ve seen firsthand how a mix of visible security, smart patrols, and fast incident response can cut theft and vandalism by as much as half.

Real-world results from Evergreen clients:

• Retail facilities – One major retail client saw shoplifting attempts drop by over 40% within six months after Evergreen added visible entrance guards and evening patrols.
• Government buildings – A municipal site dealing with repeated graffiti and vandalism reported a 60% reduction in incidents after Evergreen introduced perimeter patrols and upgraded lighting.
• Industrial yards – A high-value facility storing equipment had recurring break-ins. With Evergreen’s random patrol scheduling and real-time reporting, incidents dropped by more than 50% in the first year.

This isn’t unique to Evergreen, it’s supported by research too. The Urban Institute found that targeted crime reduction strategies, like consistent patrols and visibility, can reduce criminal activity in high-risk areas by 50% or more.

As one Evergreen client put it after seeing results:

“Before Evergreen, theft was a monthly problem. After Evergreen, it’s rare. The difference has been night and day.”

These results are why so many businesses from retail to government to high-value facilities turn to Evergreen when safety and loss prevention matter most.

Learn more about Evergreen’s success stories and security solutions here.

Why Choose Evergreen for Theft & Vandalism Prevention

There are plenty of security companies out there. So why do businesses, governments, and high-value facilities choose Evergreen? Because we don’t just provide guards, we provide complete prevention strategies that are tailored to each client.

Here’s what sets Evergreen apart:

• Decades of experience – With over 40 years in the industry, we understand how to protect facilities across Canada.
• Trained, vetted staff – Every Evergreen guard goes through background checks, licensing, and ongoing training to stay sharp and professional.
• Custom strategies – We don’t believe in cookie-cutter solutions. Each site gets a security plan designed around its risks and priorities.
• Tech integration – From GPS patrol logging to AI-powered scheduling, we use technology to make security smarter and more reliable.
• Proven results – We don’t just promise prevention, we show it. Our clients consistently report fewer incidents and lower losses.

Security experts back this approach too. According to the Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety, proactive policing includes strategies like visible police presence and community engagement that are proven to help deter criminal activity, rather than merely reacting after incidents occur. It’s a highly cited approach in crime prevention theory.

At Evergreen, we make this simple for our clients. We provide the people, the systems, and the technology so you can focus on running your business without worrying about theft or vandalism.

Conclusion: Don’t Wait Until It Happens

Theft and vandalism aren’t just annoyances, they’re expensive, disruptive, and damaging to your reputation. For many businesses, the true cost goes far beyond the stolen goods or broken property. It’s the downtime, the insurance hikes, and the way customers and staff feel when a space doesn’t seem secure.

The good news? Most of these incidents are preventable.

With Evergreen’s proven strategies, visible security presence, smarter patrols, and fast incident response, you can stop problems before they start. We’ve helped retailers, government agencies, and high-value facilities cut theft and vandalism in half, and we can do the same for you.

Why wait until the next break-in or act of vandalism forces you to act? The smartest move is to prevent it in the first place.

See how Evergreen can help you slash security incidents before they happen.