Securing Overlooked Entry Points at Work

A burglary at Siparia SDA Primary School demonstrates how a single overlooked opening can negate every other security measure on a premises. Criminals entered through a small window above a toilet — an opening that would not appear on a standard security checklist because it seems too small, too awkward to use, or too far from the main premises to represent a risk. Once inside the bathroom, the entry point had bypassed perimeter fencing and door locks entirely, leaving only an internal office door between the intruders and the walkathon funds stored there. Security reviews that focus on doors, main windows, and perimeter gates miss the category of access point these criminals relied on: small, secondary openings at the edges of buildings that are rarely used by staff and are easy to forget during routine checks.

Steps to follow:

• Conduct a full physical audit of all building openings, not just doors and primary windows — include bathroom windows, louvres, ventilation openings, service hatches, and any aperture that could be accessed with a stepladder or by climbing an adjacent surface.
• Apply security grilles or fixed bars to any window or ventilation opening that is not required for emergency egress, including small openings that appear too narrow for adult entry.
• Do not store significant cash, funds, or valuables on school or institutional premises overnight — transfer walkathon proceeds, collections, or cash donations to a secure banking facility the same day they are received.
• If same-day banking is not possible, use a combination lock-box or safe with restricted key access, and ensure the room containing it has secondary physical reinforcement beyond a standard door lock.
• After any institutional fund-raising event, carry out an additional perimeter check before closing the premises — these are high-value periods that attract targeted surveillance.
• Review your CCTV coverage for blind spots at the rear and sides of buildings where secondary entry points are typically located; cameras positioned only at main entrances do not capture most burglary entry routes.