One of the great things about safety glass is that if someone attempts to smash it in order to gain entrance to your store, they'll have a much harder time doing so. It can take four times as much force to break safety glass as would have to be exerted to break regular glass, meaning that the criminals are more likely to be apprehended or frightened away before entering and making off with something of value. Safety glass isn't totally invulnerable, however, and although it tends to hold its shape better after breaking, a vandal can still cause some very expensive damage by either attempting to break the glass or simply graffitiing the outside surface. Here are three techniques you can use to dissuade such acts of vandalism.

1. Add anti-graffiti film

An anti-graffiti film can be added to the outside of your glass to prevent the need for glass replacement in the event of a graffiti attack. If you plan to use a security film as well, you can simply install the anti-graffiti film on the outside and the other on the inside. This provides maximum protection from attack and graffiti; although it's still technically possible for robbers to break in, they'll have to be very determined to succeed.

2. Increase light and cameras

Graffiti artists want everyone to see their work, but because it's illegal, they don't want anyone to see them actually doing it. Improving security measures around your business by adding lights and installing obvious cameras (strategically placed so the vandals can't destroy them, of course) can wage psychological warfare against graffiti artists by convincing them that targeting your business is a risky proposition at best and that they'd rather go tag some other building.

3. Invest in your neighborhood

Another way to psychologically prevent vandalism is by improving the overall area your business inhabits. Keeping the area free of graffiti is especially important, since existing graffiti tends to increase the chances of more graffiti occurrences. However, fostering "community ownership" can also decrease the chances of graffiti in your area, since the people who commit graffiti crimes often prefer to vandalize more impersonal spaces (and especially prefer places where the graffiti won't be immediately removed).

These three methods can help you leverage both physical protection for your glass and psychological deterrents against potential graffiti vandals. If graffiti does occur regularly in your area, using all three of these ideas together can give you a great head start as you tackle the problem. For more information, talk to a professional like Film Solutions Unlimited.