Security Update – 26 May 2009

The global financial crisis may lead to an increase in hotel crime, according to hotel security experts in the United States (US). The economic slowdown is being blamed for an increase in incidents of theft, including those perpetrated by hotel staff. Security threats facing major hotels have also come under increasing scrutiny due to personal attacks in the US and the terrorist attacks in South Asia.

Hotels Facing Multiple Security Threats

The harsh financial climate is leading to cutbacks in security at some hotels. Such cutbacks will create gaps in control systems and increase the incidence of hotel crime. Theft levels by hotel employees are set to increase with many staff working fewer hours and therefore experiencing heightened financial pressures. A 2009 study by the Ball State and Florida International Universities found that theft accounted for nearly half of reported crimes against guests in Miami Beach hotels, while vehicle break-ins accounted for 13 percent of hotel crimes. The most common time of day for hotel crime to occur was found to be during the afternoon.

Hotel security has recently received widespread media coverage as a result of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai and the so-called ‘Craigslist Killer’ in the US. A 23-year old Boston medical student, Philip Markoff, has been charged in connection with violent robbery, assault and murder, after attacks in mid-April at the Westin and Marriott Copley Place Hotels in Boston, and the Holiday Inn Express on Rhode Island. Markoff allegedly contacted his victims through the online Craigslist networking service, and then arranged meetings at the hotels where the attacks occurred. Pre-arranged meetings in hotel rooms for illegal and illicit purposes have become increasingly common due to the massive growth of the internet. As such, the Markoff case provides a graphic example of how the advancement of the internet and associated communications and networking technology has increased the security risks facing hotels.

Major international hotels frequented by foreigners have increasingly become targets for terrorist attacks. A bomb at Islamabad’s Marriott Hotel in September 2008 left 53 dead and 250 injured while December’s Mumbai attacks resulted in 170 fatalities. Hotel security representatives claim that without government assistance they are helpless to prevent heavily armed attacks of the scale witnessed in Mumbai. Although top-end hotels are more likely to be targets for major terrorist attacks, such establishments are generally much safer than other hotels as they are often in areas of cities with lower crime rates and tend to have better security and fire safety systems.

International Operations Group - Advice

When staying in locations with a high terrorist threat, personnel should avoid loitering around major hotel lobbies and ensure that their chosen hotel has adequate security procedures. However, the chance of a terrorist attack occurring in the specific hotel chosen is very rare and therefore personnel should focus on addressing the other security risks they may face in a hotel and/or foreign city. To minimise the risk of becoming a victim of hotel crime, personnel should avoid leaving property inside cars in parking lots, keep valuables in a hotel safe, refuse to open the room door before verifying with the front desk, and request an escort to the room if there is due concern.

With the increase in employee fraud and theft across all industries, hotels should ensure that they have up-to-the-minute security and fraud risk management control systems in place. Existing security risks, controls and policies must be continually monitored and reviewed to ensure that they remain effective and comprehensive.

International Operations Group – Services

International Operations Group provides intelligence and security support for corporate and individual clients across the globe. Our licensed security consultants are experienced in the provision of security risk management and mitigation strategies, which assist in the detection and reduction of crime and employee fraud within hotel environments. Please email intel@interopsgroup.com for further information.
For more information on our fee-based intelligence updates or bespoke reporting, please email Rob Stevenson - rob@interopsgroup.com. Rob can also be telephoned on +61 [0] 420 244 909.