Arson Prevention

Offender profiles and target areas

Arson is triggered by a wide range of motives, from revenge by disgruntled employees to concealment of other crimes, vandalism or civil unrest. Preferred targets are areas with low presence and high combustible loading: outdoor storage, waste collection points, vacant or shut-down parts of buildings, and poorly monitored night shifts. Small, inconspicuous incipient fires with no identifiable cause are a warning sign of a first, unsuccessful attempt.

Protective measures

Effective measures combine physical access control (fencing, locked gates, lighting), surveillance through guard services, video monitoring or intrusion detection, and organisational rules such as visitor badges, background checks, and consistently separating combustible outdoor storage from buildings. Surveillance should be specifically strengthened during periods of staff tension, layoffs or shutdowns, as experience shows these phases carry an elevated arson risk.

Relevance for insurance

Arson is one of the largest single causes of loss in property insurance and is often difficult to distinguish from an accidental fire. Property insurers regard documented security concepts, access control and alarm organisation as a key criterion during risk surveys, particularly where social tensions or shutdowns are present.