Does CCTV help a business?

CCTV can be both a deterrent and very useful tool in arresting criminals.  Two small retailers who took different approaches in the CCTV system installed.

A £300 Mac book was stolen last week from a laptop repair shop in Hazel Grove, Stockport.  Fortunately we had installed quality CCTV both inside and outside the premises a few years ago so the images are fantastic and clearly identify all three criminals.  The CCTV footage has been sent to the police and an arrest is expected soon.

Another local retail shop had a burglary a few weeks ago and caught the intruder on their CCTV.  Unfortunately, the installation was not done by us, the shop was poorly advised and chose budget cameras, the resultant images are of insufficient quality to be used to identify the burglar.

If you use CCTV, please speak to someone who can convert your needs into a useful installation.

Make a policeman's day - catch an intruder red handed

Police need help Like many of the public services, the police are expected to do more with less. The situation is exacerbated by trivial phone calls for help when people should take responsibility for their own actions and not seek police assistance. In the case of home security, a problem arises.  For example, a homeowner installs an alarm that calls either himself or a monitoring company following activation. What to do next? It may be a false alarm, but it may also be a burglar. Unless the police are convinced that there is an intruder, they will not attend. The alternative is for you to face who knows what at 2 in the morning or employ a security guard. How much better to have a call and short video on your smartphone showing exactly what set off the alarm. If it really is a burglar, then you can call the police with confidence and confirm by video of an intruder. The police are far more likely to respond in these circumstances, a prosecution is more likely and you may not lose possessions. Even insurance companies make approve! To see how it all works we have put together a short video

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Text or call while driving? Face insurance blacklisting

Some insurers are refusing to cover motorists who get caught texting or making phone calls while driving

Picture the scene, you're driving and the phone rings but no handsfree because bluetooth is not connecting and the earphones were left at home.

Believing that the worst that can happen is a £60 fine and 3 points (same as a single speeding offence) you take the call.

Wrong. If convicted you may find yourself blacklisted by insurance companies or having to pay around 20% more.

A single conviction for using a mobile at the wheel, even though it carries a similar penalty to speeding is, to an insurance company, far more serious.

Why?  Because a motorist might break a 30mph speed limit without noticing, but no one texts, emails or makes a call by accident. 

AA Spokesman Ian Crowder said: ‘Insurers are taking mobile phone offences very seriously. It might seem severe but when operating a mobile phone you don’t have both hands on the steering wheel, you aren’t looking fully at the road and can’t change gears safely."

The Association of British Insurers said: ‘One conviction for using a mobile is unlikely to preclude a motorist from getting insurance altogether although inevitably it will cost more.’
However, AA researchers called insurers to quote for a 40-year-old man driving a Ford Mondeo. 3 companies refused to cover anyone with a conviction for using a phone. 

Premiums went up by less than 10% for a single speeding conviction, which carries the same penalty of a £60 fine and three points. 

More than 170,000 motorists a year in England and Wales are caught using their phones while driving.

Owners could face jail if dogs attack burglars

Owners could face jail if dogs attack burglars under new plans

By Tim Ross, Political Correspondent
9:16PM BST 23 Apr 2012

Courts could jail dog owners for up to two years or impose a £5,000 fine if animals cause injuries while “dangerously out of control” in their homes.

Owners also face bills of up to £40 to fit all newborn puppies with microchips, while dangerous breeds seized by the police will be allowed home on “bail” until court cases have concluded.

Announcing a consultation on plans to extend criminal offences in England to cover dog attacks in private dwellings Jim Paice, a minister at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said he aimed to target “a minority of irresponsible dog owners”.

But officials admitted burglary victims would not be “immune” from prosecution if they allowed their pets to savage intruders. Caroline Kisko, from the Kennel Club, said it would be “unrealistic” to ask a dog to judge if it was using “reasonable force”.

Can a burglar snap your lock?

What is "lock snapping" ?

As the title would suggest, this is where a euro lock cylinder is literally snapped in two by applying force to the cylinder.

Thieves have devised methods of snapping these types of cylinders locks in a matter of seconds and still be able to operate the lock to open the door.       

This threat can be considerably reduced simply by upgrading the cylinder to one that is specifically designed to prevent this method of attack. We recommend that all vulnerable doors using Euro-Profile cylinders be upgraded to incorporate 'Break Secure' cylinders.

Euro cylinders are mainly fitted to uPVC doors but some aluminium and wooden doors also use this type of lock.

Solution

Break secure, or anti-snap cylinders, are specifically designed to combat lock-snapping.

A cylinder has been designed that although it will snap, it will snap in a predetermined position leaving intact a portion of the cylinder that will still provide security and still require key operation to open, thus preventing the easy manipulating of the locking system.

This is a photo of a break secure cylinder - the cylinder is designed to break leaving the centre locking mechanism still intact and working.

We work with a qualified locksmith who can offer a full installation and upgrade service to meet your needs; or a replacement break secure euro cylinder can be purchased from any recognised DIY store.

Replacement lock cylinders should meet all parts of the exacting British Standard Kitemark (BS EN 1303:2005) accreditation scheme.

A new standard, TS007, is due to be introduced later this year, look out for details of this in the media and online.

The Master Locksmiths' Association website  www.locksmiths.co.uk also provides a list of registered locksmiths who will be able to provide advice and information and give you practical help to ensure your locks are suitable.

The minimum recommendation for wooden doors is five-lever mortice locks which carry the British Standard BS3621.

If you have traditional Yale locks fitted to your doors, do not rely on this as the only method of security. You must fit other locks, preferably deadlocks and install an alarm

General home security

The security around your home starts at the perimeter of your property and ranges from security lighting, external movement sensors, sturdy locking gates, to removing valuables and attractive items from view. 

Check list

• All the doors and windows are locked - even if I'm only popping out for a minute.

• Door locks meet British standards

• Neither my house keys nor my car keys are in sight or easy reach of my windows or doors, and that I don't keep them in an obvious place in the house.

• Key-operated locks fitted to all the windows.

• A visible burglar alarm from The Alarming Man is turned on whenever I leave the house.

• My spare keys are not left outside, or in the garage or shed.

• Lights and radio are turned on by a timer for the evening when I'm out If it's dark outside I draw the curtains.

• If thieves get into the garden despite a good fence surrounding the house and the side gate padlocked, a sensor from The Alarming Man sets off the alarm.  The garden shed is also locked and has a sensor.

• No ladders or tools are outside, which could be used to get into the house.

• Valuables like laptops, handbags, jewellery can't be seen from the window.

• Cash or any documents with my name, address or other personal details (such as a bank statement or bill) that fraudsters could use are not left lying around

• When going on holiday, a friend or neighbour collects the post and put the bins out.

2 in 1 burglars

Some burglars are looking for your car keys so they can steal your car. Make it hard for thieves. Don't leave car keys where they are visible.

Visible burglar alarms are good, and outside lighting puts burglars off. But make sure that your security lights are positioned out of reach of a burglar, and that they don't disturb your neighbours. Your alarm should call keyholders or your phone to attend in case it goes off when you're not there.

Mark your property

Mark important and expensive possessions (such as your computer or DVD player) with your postcode and house number using special security marker pens. Keep a record of the make, model and serial numbers of all your electrical equipment for reference too. If the police recover them after a burglary, this record will be proof that they are stolen goods - and that they are yours.

Your can register your property on the national database Immobilise

Log on to www.immobilise.co.uk

Shed and garage security

Burglaries of homes have fallen in the past 12 months, however thieves are targeting sheds, garages and outbuildings.

Police Officers say thieves target sheds and garages because they are likely to be less well secured and are used to store valuable bikes, motorcycles, mopeds, power tools and sports equipment.

The Alarming Man can install a wireless exterior sensor that will activate your alarm when burglars enter the garden, before they even get to the shed!!

These sensors can be added to most existing quality alarms

Call 01616601636 now for further information.

Simple tips on making sheds and garages harder to burgle.

• Making sure fences and gates are sturdy
• Using 'Sold Secure' locks on sheds, garages and gates
• Fitting an inexpensive shed or garage alarm, available from most DIY stores
• Fitting a secure anchor point within the shed/garage and chaining bikes and other valuables to it with a 'Sold Secure' chain or 'D' lock
• Recording the serial number of bikes and other items at www.immobilise.com
• Marking property with your postcode
• Visiting www.halgradesyourlocks.com and stolenbristolbikes@gmail.com for advice on cycle security

Burglars 'Using Social Media To Find Targets'

It is now confirmed that the majority of burglars are using social media websites to help target victims and plan their crimes, a survey suggests. 

Three quarters of convicted burglars questioned said sites including Google Street View now play a big part in their planning.

A similar amount said Twitter and Facebook - where users 'check in' to locations - are also being used by criminals.

Security expert Jonathan Lim told Sky News: "Burglars are analysing what's going on.

"They can see people's status updates, with people on Twitter saying 'I'm away on holiday having a great time'. If they know where you live it's like an open invitation."

Former burglar Richard Taylor said: "We're living in the age of the digital criminal and people are taking advantage of social media to access information about would-be victims.

"We'll tell them even when we're going away on holidays. We will let them know that we're not in. We're inviting them... round to our house."

Convicted burglars were asked the most likely things to lead them to target a property for Friedland Security's UK Home Security Report.

As well as outlining their use of new technology, a fifth of burglars said they monitored homeowners' daily routine before striking.

The survey of 50 convicted burglars also found the average home burglary only takes 10 minutes to commit.

A home with no visible security could be broken into in just two minutes, they revealed.

Average burglaries net criminals nearly £500, with most aiming for jewellery, cash and electrical goods although others targeted documents like passports.

Only a quarter of those polled said guard dogs were a deterrent and less than one in 10 were put off by nosy neighbours.

But more than half - 60% - said they would be discouraged from targeting a home if they knew it had a security alarm.

Reported on SKY News - 

http://news.sky.com/home/uk-news/article/16077087

Back To School - Did They Go Home?

Children back to school and trying to give them some independence?


Sometimes an older child has to make their own way home and be a "Latchkey Kid" due to personal circumstance.


Did they arrived home as expected?  Always that niggle until either you phone them or they phone you.


Our wireless alarms give peace of mind, it either calls or texts to let you know they arrived safely as the alarm is disarmed!  No excuses about credit or battery flat.


Call now to learn how we can protect both the family and the possessions.

Home Office: domestic burglaries risen by 14%

Protect your property by having a free security survey* and advice on the best alarm for your domestic or business. 


Why? Because new figures from the Home Office show that there has been a 14% rise in domestic burglaries in the past year and bucks the trend of the past five years.

Reacting to this latest set of crime statistics, Simon Reed (vice-chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales) said: "While it's pleasing that overall crime is still falling, it's extremely worrying that reported burglary statistics have risen by 14%."

In May 2009, the Police Federation warned Government that an additional 2,000 police officers would be required over the following three years to maintain the current level of service, and predicted a rise in property crime as the recession deepened.

“We take no pleasure in being right on this occasion," stated Reed, "and witnessing the dramatic rise in reported burglaries. However, more worryingly and despite our predictions, the coalition Government has cut the policing budget by 20%, which is resulting in a fall in police officer numbers and is likely to result in yet further increases in crime."

In conclusion, Reed explained: "These statistics must serve as a stark warning to Government – stop, think and urgently reconsider the 20% cuts planned for the police service. It’s not too late to take the necessary steps to stop the inevitable 'Criminal’s Charter' that cuts of this magnitude will signal, and to do what's right to ensure the safety and protection of citizens of this country.”

Of particular interest to ACPO, it seems, is the area of burglary and some other types of theft. "We'll be looking closely at both bulletins to see whether there are emerging patterns of criminality in those areas," said Murphy.

For example, the high price of metal is driving what is a significant increase in metal theft due to the price of second-hand scrap metal. This has a potentially significant impact on the UK's Critical National Infrastructure and a consequent risk to the public.

*geographical conditions apply

Leeds burglary rates 'third highest in the UK"

Continue reading the main storyOn average, 26 burglaries were committed every day in Leeds last year

A BBC report shows that Leeds has some of the highest rates of burglary in the country. 


The Audit Commission study said that in some parts of the city, burglary rates are three times the national average.

Deprived areas like Beeston, Harehills and Armley and places with lots of students such as Headingley were the worst affected.

The report blamed poor quality housing and a network that allows for easy disposal of stolen goods.

Student population

It suggested that "the ability to rapidly convert stolen goods into ready cash is a key influence on young burglars".

The report also noted that the 60,000-strong student population, who generally live in poor quality rented accommodation and are away for long periods, proved attractive to burglars.

Although there has been some improvement in burglary rates in over the past year, in the past three years the gap between Leeds and the rest of the country has widened.

Between April 2007 and March 2010 the rate nationally went down by 4%, whereas in Leeds it went up by 13%.

On average, 26 burglaries were committed daily in the city last year.

When it comes to tackling crime at the source, Insp Steve Lavell, from the Safer Leeds Partnership, said burglary "has become a young people's crime in Leeds".

'Young people's crime'

His department found that just under half of offenders in the city are aged between 15 and 18.

One 18-year-old from the problem area of Halton Moor said young men committed burglaries because they were "bored" and had nothing to do in their area.

However youth worker Yvonne Crowder, from Beeston, who lost almost all her possessions when she was burgled, said it came down to money.

"There's plenty to do out there, the problem is these young people don't have the funds to go and do it."

The Audit Commission recommended that the police develop a more focused strategy with clear goals to deal with the problem, particularly when it comes to stolen goods networks.

We fit wireless alarms that help deter burglaries, are economical to fit, can move house with you and be connected to land lines to monitor personally or via receiving centres/professional key holders.  Visit the web site for more information or ask for a no obligation quote.


Call 07973166426 and ask for Stephen - our Yorkshire representative to visit.
For other areas call 0161 660 1636 to discuss your concerns

Be vigilant for burglars

RESIDENTS are being asked by many Police forces to keep their eyes out for the tell tale signs of burglary and not to ignore suspicious behaviour. 
After a rise in burglary figures, the new campaign asks people to be more vigilant and points out some of the things that members of the public should look out for. 
Burglary is an awful crime that not only deprives victims of personal and cherished possessions but also can leave them feeling vulnerable and scared. 
The Police are continuously working with its partners to tackle all forms of crime but with public acting as our eyes and ears we can reduce burglary and hold those responsible to account. 
By reporting things that are out of the ordinary they could well help us solve and prevent crime.
Many burglaries are committed during the day with burglars usually entering houses at the back, jumping over walls or fences and checking to see if anyone is in. 
Look out for people knocking on doors, hanging around by houses and driving up and down streets.  If you see something suspicious call the police.  
For greater protection in the Manchester and York areas, we can advise on burglar alarms and general home security.
01616601636

Fog Bandit on the BBC News!

Fog Bandit was recently included as part of a Crime Prevention feature on national BBC News 24 and BBC Midlands last month.

Just in case you missed it see a copy of the BBC footage on the link below:

10 Items I Would Hate to Lose in a Burglary

Submitted by homealarmmonitoring.org/blog from one of their readers

Having been subjected to a burglary once, this should be to some degree an easy subject to write about.  First of all the idea that a stranger had been in my home and ransacked my house was disgusting and frankly sickening.  I did not want to sleep on the disheveled bed, I didn’t want to touch the bureau drawer’s contents that were strewn all over the room, or the closet items scattered through-out the house.  The general mess they left did make me wonder what kind of people they were that would try to destroy our home, yet not hurt our little dog!

My first thought was “Oh my goodness, my groceries are gone!”  I had gone to the grocery store that day for a couple weeks supply of groceries, and for a young growing family, it wasn’t a small amount of cash then and it sure wouldn’t be now.  I hasten to add, none of my groceries were gone, but a few other possessions were.

Now for items I’d hate to lose in a burglary?

1. Electronics
2. Jewelry
3. Cash
4. Tools
5. Collector items
6. Paintings
7. Automobile
8. Fuel from my car
9. Lawn equipment
10. Silverware

To put these in any kind of order would be left up to each individual.  Personally I would hate to start replacing any on the list.

Winter Months and Home Insurance Cover

Thought this entry of interest which was posted in home insurance, (bookmark the permalink) by Graham on the 23rd Novemeber 2010

Property owners throughout the UK should ensure they have the correct home insurance policy firmly in place to cover the wide range of issues that may arise in relation to the weather.

As reported in an article appearing in the News and Star, the harsh winter weather conditions can cause terrible and extensive damage to homes, requiring expensive repairs to be made, which many families simply would not have the money to pay for by themselves.

However, aside from the weather concerns, there is also that sad fact that many burglars and opportunist thieves choose to carry out crimes in the winter months, due to the long dark nights.  Clearly, adequate home insurance is crucial throughout the winter season and the rest of the year.

Burglary sparks home insurance warning

 by Maxwell Kusi Obodum of the Reading Chronicle

POLICE chiefs have warned residents that insurance companies could refuse to pay up if homeowners have failed to take sufficient safety precautions before being burgled.

It follows a burglary Caversham two weeks ago where the insurance company rejected the victim’s claim because they failed to double lock the front door.

LEWES JEWELLERS ‘SMASH AND GRAB’ ATTEMPT THWARTED BY FOG BANDIT

ANOTHER JEWELLERS ‘SMASH AND GRAB’ ATTEMPT

THWARTED BY FOG BANDIT

At 14h27, on Wednesday 6^th October 2010, a raider attacked a high street Jeweller in Lewes, East Sussex, with an axe.

Almost immediately sensors initiated the high speed security Fog Bandit which in JUST 2 SECONDS projected a 6 METRE LONG blanket of visually impenetrable yet harmless fog which screened the targeted display cabinets and forced the raider to flee the shop without any reward.

David Clark, Managing Director, W E Clark and Son, explains;

“The intruder attacked the window with an axe and the combination of the security fog and a lady’s screams for the intruder to leave meant they ran off and we are without any stock loss”.

Neil Chrismas, Sales Director, Bandit UK Ltd added;

“The Bandit UK Team are delighted that the Fog Bandit played its part in quickly driving the raider out of the shop, restricting damage to the premises and eliminating stock loss, whilst drawing the attention of witnesses”.