Industries
Vacant Property Security in Palo Alto
Vacant property security for Palo Alto buildings, lots and homes between tenants or sales: randomized patrol checks, hands-on lock and door checks, deterrence of break-ins and squatting, and a dated report to the owner after every visit.
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Why empty properties draw attention
An empty building announces itself. Dark windows, mail on the step, an overgrown yard and a parking lot with no cars tell anyone passing that no one is watching. Within weeks, a vacant property can attract break-ins, copper and fixture theft, dumping, graffiti and people settling in for the night, and every one of those costs more to undo than to prevent.
Regular, unpredictable checks change that picture. A marked patrol vehicle pulling in at different hours, an officer testing the doors and fresh entries in a patrol log show that the property is looked after, which is usually enough to send trouble elsewhere.
Patrol checks on a randomized schedule
Each visit follows a route written for the property after a free walkthrough. The officer walks the perimeter, checks gates and fencing, looks for new damage or signs of entry and confirms that boarded openings are still secure. Visit times vary from night to night, so the pattern cannot be learned, and every check is recorded in a timed patrol log. Our mobile patrol page describes how routes and visit counts are set.
Lock, door and window checks
Officers test every door and accessible window by hand, check padlocks, hasps and lockboxes, and note any new lock that someone else has fitted, which is a common sign of squatting. They also look for running water, failed exterior lighting, open utility rooms and anything leaning against a wall that could serve as a ladder.
Deterring squatting and break-ins
Early signs matter most: a sleeping bag in a doorway, belongings behind a fence, a forced side door or a light on inside. When an officer finds any of them, the owner or manager is told the same night with photos, and police are called when someone is entering or inside. The owner then decides the next steps, and the patrol can step up its visits while the issue is resolved.
Where a property has a history of trouble or sits empty for a long stretch, a posted officer for the overnight hours, or remote video monitoring paired with patrol, gives stronger cover than checks alone.
Reports the owner can rely on
Every visit produces a dated entry with the time on site and what the officer checked. Anything that changed, from a broken window to a new pile of dumped furniture, is photographed and emailed. Owners who live out of the area, lenders’ asset managers and leasing agents all see the same record, so no one has to drive by to know the property is in order.
Homes, offices and lots between tenants
Vacant property in Palo Alto takes many forms: a house on the market or awaiting renovation, an office suite between leases, an empty storefront along El Camino Real, or a building closed ahead of redevelopment. Each gets a route suited to it. Once demolition or construction begins, coverage moves over to construction site security, and fire watch covers a building whose fire alarm or sprinklers are shut down.
Vacant property security costs in Palo Alto
Patrol checks are priced by the minute: in 2026, $2 to $3 a minute in Palo Alto, with a five-minute minimum for each visit, so the total depends on visits a night and the time each walk takes. A posted officer runs $36 to $50 an hour. Contracts are month to month, so coverage can end the week a new tenant moves in.
Patrol officers are background-checked and hold BSIS guard cards, and you receive a certificate of insurance when coverage begins. Request a free walkthrough through the contact page and we will propose a route and a visit count in a written quote.
A few useful answers
Common questions
How many patrol visits does an empty property need each night?
Most empty properties do well with two or three randomized visits a night, plus a daytime check on weekends. Properties with a history of break-ins or squatting may need more visits or a posted officer overnight.
What happens if an officer finds signs of squatting?
The officer photographs what they find and contacts the owner or manager that night, and calls police if someone is entering or inside. Visits can then be stepped up while the owner decides the next steps.
Can patrol checks be paired with cameras?
Yes. Remote video monitoring watches the property between visits, and patrol officers handle the hands-on door, lock and perimeter checks.
Do you cover vacant homes that are listed for sale?
Yes. Homes between owners, during renovation or on the market can have randomized exterior checks, with a dated report and photos after every visit.
How do we end coverage when the property is leased?
Contracts are month to month, so coverage can stop once a tenant or buyer takes over. Keeping a few visits through the move-in weeks is often worthwhile.
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