Rural crime is on the increase and unfortunately rural theft can occur under various circumstances and often to those who don’t have CCTV farm security.  Stolen livestock can be quickly sold on for cash through regional markets and for the production of meat, whilst the theft of high profile farming equipment can be worth thousands of pounds.  Unfortunately, intruders prey on rural businesses where historically premises may have felt much safer in the past in contrast to urban areas and so less likely to be a target – however sadly this is becoming less of the case.

Members of the NFU (National Farmers Union), across the UK are being urged to install CCTV Farm Security monitoring equipment, to protect their farms, secure equestrian premises and remote locations. By ensuring that their land and outbuildings are monitored 24/7, they have peace of mind that they can deter unwanted intruders by sending a clear message that the property is ‘under surveillance’.

Established Partners for CCTV Farm Security

In order to meet this requirement, SGS Systems Ltd are delighted to announce that we are established CCTV partners to the NFU and by operating as certified security installation representatives to the NFU West midlands region, covering: Herefordshire, Staffordshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire and Warwickshire, our company is accredited to install, service and maintain Farm CCTV security and Stable CCTV security in addition to our existing portfolio of property security options.

To find out more please contact us for property security at sgssytems.com. You may also like to read further information on our Stable CCTV Security website page.

Expensive gadgets, clothes, perfume and jewellery often make popular Christmas list items. 

These types of Christmas present’s offer easy opportunities to burglars who can grab when making a quick getaway and can sell on quickly – making them easily untraceable.

Key security aspects
to prepare for Christmas 2018

There are some key aspects to think about when preparing for Christmas and to ensure that you keep your home safe, here are some ideas:

1. Presents Under Tree – Don’t leave expensive gifts visible under the tree during the weeks leading up to Christmas. Storing them safely out of sight will deter burglars from breaking into your home if they are looking for items to quickly grab from under the tree.
    
2. Outdoor Christmas Lights – These are becoming more and more popular across the UK as homeowners light up their homes and gardens with magical Christmas scenes.  The issue is that often they don’t have an external power socket and so they trail extension leads through their windows. This prevents them from shutting the windows securely and provides a prime target to intruders. Not only do the lights draw attention to the potentially vulnerable house, but there is also a good chance that their window may be left on the catch, creating easy opportunity for burglars to gain access.
    
3. Curtains and Blinds – Keep these closed at dusk and at night to minimise drawing attention and peering eyes into your home well-lit home. Installing lights on a timer will give the impression that the house is occupied even if you are not at home.
    
4. Going Away This Christmas? – Cancel newspaper and milk deliveries.  Ask a neighbour to park their vehicle on your drive so that it gives the impression that your home is occupied. Put your bins out for collection and ask a neighbour to return them to your property once empties. Ask a neighbour to keep an eye on the house and either push post fully through the letterbox or collect your post from your porch and store safely until you return.
    
5. Using Social Media – Don’t boast on social media about expensive gifts you have received or promote that you are off on your holidays for Christmas.  Wait until you return home after your holiday and then upload your photos.
    
6. Book a Christmas security review – Taking care of your existing installed alarm and giving it some TLC could be the best Christmas present that you give yourself and your family this Christmas.  If you have an alarm but it is not maintained by SGS Systems Ltd, then we can still help!  Under our Christmas security review, we will carry out a security review of your existing alarm to keep you safe this season.  For more information please contact us on 01902 700687 or see our website www.sgssystems.co.uk.  Providing house burglar alarms, CCTV, smoke security and much more, we support homeowners and commercial business proprietors across the west midlands, staffordshire, shropshire and the UK with property security.

If you’re planning on being away from your home this Christmas season, then thinking about protecting your property with Christmas security should be a top priority.

The Christmas period has the highest burglary rate of the year, according to a 2017 article by express.co.uk – Christmas burglaries most likely to happen December 17 and 18.Many people spend evenings out at parties, visit friends or go on holiday, leaving properties for longer periods of time than usual.This means that burglars are presented with an abundance of vacant properties to steal from and can often continue raiding homes well into the night.

Here at SGS Systems Ltd we can ensure that your Christmas security is in top shape this year.

This Christmas period, if you are not already an existing customer we can offer a Christmas security review, we will carry out a security review of your property to make certain that it is safe.

If you have recently moved to a property, if the existing alarm was originally certified by a different company from SGS Systems Ltd or if you have never had the existing alarm serviced, it is not a problem, we can help!

All of our property reviews are carried out confidentially, whilst our certified and professionally trained security engineers will treat your property with the upmost care and respect when working at your premises.To find out more about our Christmas security review or any of the other property security options, we offer such as wired and wireless alarm security or CCTV monitoring equipment, then please contact our team to discuss your requirements further.

Blogs used to write this article:

• https://www.express.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/626974/Christmas-burglaries-most-likely-to-happen-December-17-and-18

 

 

Security is so often a real challenge faced by retailers and store owners across the UK, who must protect goods on a daily basis from unwanted theft.  Goods such as cigarettes, perfume and ATM machines, are easy targets for criminals who are looking to make a quick turnover of cash from stolen goods.

In a recent article by betterretailing.com – Retail crime statistics show one in five thefts now take place in stores. It revealed that 2017 saw an increase of 8% in shoplifting offence with 385,265 reports of shoplifting over the 12 months.

It is alarming to see this rate increasing over the past year, especially when so many retailers are already likely to use some method of security to protect goods and their premises.  The issue here is, is their store equipment up to scratch and is it meeting the level that needed as a business owner or manager?

FOG Security is often the best option to protect goods

Here at SGS Systems Ltd we do have a security solution to prevent a theft situation and protect goods.  Supporting national retail companies across the UK in clothing, technology and perfume.  Supermarkets and general stores where cigarette counters are often an easy target and safeguarding individual retailers and petrol station owners, our company installs and maintains fog / smoke security.

Operating independently to your premise’s alarms and CCTV security.  Our fog / smoke security is triggered when an intruder enters the protected area by filling the space within seconds, with thick and dense fog. The fog / smoke security device prevents the intruder from moving any further around the commercial building by reducing visibility and disorientating them.

Coupled with our police response assistance, fog / smoke security is our most sophisticated of all our security systems.  Offering retailers, reliability so that they can protect goods and their property.

If your commercial business is looking to upgrade on your existing security equipment and would prefer a more effective method to protect goods, then please speak to our team at SGS Systems Ltd about a FREE Review of your premises in respect of fog / smoke security.  Alternatively, you can find out more through our website – https://www.sgssystems.com/security-systems-west-midlands/fog-smoke-security-systems/.

Blogs used to write this article:

• https://www.betterretailing.com/retail-crime-stats
• https://www.acs.org.uk/research/crime-report-2017

Christmas is a busy time for retailers, longer opening hours and larger customer footfall into stores, means that over and above any other time of the year, the coming months can be a bigger challenge for retailers.

This month SGS Systems Ltd are encouraging retailers to get ahead with their retail premises security and assess its suitability now, rather than later.  A little security preparation can go along way for the months ahead. 

Firstly, we recommend looking at the equipment already installed at the premises and test if it is in good working order.  Sometimes simple tests can be overlooked through busy times, so its worth checking that the existing security equipment is up to scratch. Testing that burglar alarms alert loudly and checking that CCTV monitoring equipment is recording correctly is vital to the security a retail premises.

If the equipment hasn’t been tested for a while by a certified security installer, then it’s important that you contact your security company provider. A registered installer will be able to carry out more in-depth tests on the equipment, to assess if it sufficiently meets your requirements.

Considering a retail premises security upgrade?  

Your certified installer will be able to also recommend new products if your equipment has become out of date. There are some fantastic options on the market now, that allow property owners to check their premises whilst they are away from the property via a smartphone or tablet app. These more detailed commercial security options can save time and prevent un-necessary visits to the property whilst offering complete peace of mind that the premises is safe.

Finally installing CCTV gives proprietors peace of mind that themselves, their staff and their goods are safe.  An increased footfall can create opportunity for shop thieves.  Having CCTV to monitor areas of the shop which could be open to this unfortunate occurrence, not only protects goods but can provide evidence to the police should the need arise.

For more information on preparing your retail premises security for the coming Christmas season, please contact our commercial security team at SGS Systems Ltd.  We provide a range of retail premises security options to suit proprietors needs from individual retailers who own smaller outfits, up to multi-national companies with larger floor/ multiple floor premises.

Further Reading for retailers:

• https://www.gov.uk/guidance/protecting-your-businesss-assets

As the autumn darker nights begin to draw in and the UK winter Daylight Saving Time is imminent; at the end of the month – Sunday 28th October 2018 to be precise.  Here at SGS System’s we’re promoting how to keep your homes and property safe this season with autumn home security.

Autumn nights offer potential access to unwanted intruders who are looking to take advantage of our relaxed attitude to security. Darker evenings mean poorer visibility which gives predators an advantage, so in order to enable UK homes to stay protected we have come up with a list of six options to re-align how you might think about autumn home security.

6 Methods To Improve Your Autumn Home Security:

1. Lock Doors and Windows –  Ensuring that doors and windows are locked whilst your in and away from the property will help to minimise easy access into the property for opportunists looking to take advantage of lapsed security.
    
2.  Install Security Lighting – This is a huge deterrent to intruders. Simple security lights with motion sensors are the most effective and have the greatest impact.
    
3. Cut back bushes and trees which reduce visibility –  As their leaves begin to shed, it’s a great time of year to cut back the bushes and trees in your garden’s and surrounding areas to your property. Bushes and trees provide areas where prospective intruders can get close to a property but still hide behind, by cutting them back can eliminate this option.
    
4. Put your house lights on a timer – If you arrive home from work after dark which through the winter months can be anything after 5pm, then it’s worth setting up a couple of your internal house lights on a timer. To an intruder this will dissuade them into thinking that you are actually in the house. It’s also rather more pleasant to come home to a lit house than a house in darkness.
    
5. Consider a companion! Did you know, that if a home has a dog then burglaries are less likely to take place? In a report of the US Department of Justice it concluded that: “On average, burglarized homes are less likely to have dogs than non-burglarized homes, suggesting that dogs should be a substantial deterrent.”  Having a dog in the home is not only a great companion for homeowners and gives you a reason to get out for walks through the autumn /winter months but offers a safer home guard option to deter burglars away.
    
6. Book an autumn home security review – Installing a complete security package with SGS Systems Ltd offers complete protection for your property. Having a burglar alarm bell box fitted on the exterior of the property offers a visible deterrent to any predatory burglars whilst internally an installed and regularly maintained wired or wireless alarm will protect your possessions inside the property.  Adding CCTV monitoring equipment to your autumn home security package will additionally allow you to check any unusual behaviour around the property and could provide evidential proof to the police.  For more information please contact our team at SGS Systems Ltd to book a autumn home security consultation review or see our property security options website page for further details.

Blogs used to write this article:

• https://www.timeanddate.com/time/change/uk/london
• https://reolink.com/will-your-dog-protect-your-home/

Calling all commercial property owners and residential managers who provide residential apartments to UK residence and require multiple occupancy security!

Looking after multiple occupancy in a managed building or apartment block can be complex. Ensuring the continuous safety of everyone who lives and visits the property using multiple occupancy security is paramount to the welfare and reputation of the property.

Issued by .gov.uk, The Standards and Guidance for Houses in Multiple Occupation (https://www.lbhf.gov.uk/sites/default/files/section_attachments/standards_and_guidance_for_houses_in_multiple_occupation.pdf) document 5.8.1 Communal front door states:

The main entrance door from the street should close properly, be capable of resisting bodily pressure and slipping of the door lock. Entry systems should not have ‘tradesmen’ buttons, which bypass normal locking. The following requirements apply:

• The door should be of solid construction.
• Solenoid based, bolt-action locks are preferred, as they cannot be put on the latch and require less maintenance (also fully compliant with means of escape).
• Landlord registered keys to control access.
• Letterbox Cowl to prevent access to the door lock.
• Properly maintained door closer to ensure the door shuts properly.

Here at SGS Systems Ltd we provide multiple occupancy security in the form of a combined sophisticated intercom systems and door access control security system to protect individual residence and access to and from the property. Available in both wired and wireless formats and working in synergy with app technology, all of our intercom systems and door access control security systems are scale-able.  This means that if you are looking to protect a small number of residences in a maisonette or several hundred in a large residential block, then our multiple occupancy property security systems are equipped to care for everyone who requires the service.

Finally, as an SSAIB certified company, all of our intercom systems and door access control equipment is installed and maintained to the highest security standard by our fully trained engineers.  For more information on multiple occupancy security, please contact our security team or see our intercom systems and door access control website pages for more details.

Holiday home security is paramount to the safety of both property owners and holiday makers.  

Over recent years private holiday rentals have become more popular as individual homeowners have turned to online websites and easy access apps to promote private rooms in their homes or rent out their entire house as a holiday let in order to gain an extra source of income.

Using these methods of holiday accommodation provides are an alternative option to larger commercial holiday companies and hotel rooms.  Private holiday lets can often be a little cheaper and for those on a tight budget, it gives an opportunity to still afford a holiday.

For property owners who are renting out their room or home there is an urgency to expect the holiday makers to treat the property with respect whilst they enjoy their stay. Installing holiday home security CCTV in communal areas of the property and external to the building, provides added protection whilst guests are staying and when the property is left empty on non-booked weeks.

Where holiday home security crosses the line!

The problem is that there have been a rising number of know cases of voyeurism, where CCTV cameras are installed in private areas of the accommodation such as bedrooms and bathrooms. Unknown to the holiday residence, these cameras are being monitored by their property owners who often have more sinister intents.
Keith Roberts, a technician for Advanced Sweeping, a company that detects bugs for individuals and businesses, offered this advice in a recent article by the Independent: https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/airbnb-hidden-cameras-how-to-spot-online-holiday-rentals-apartments-secret-surveillance-a8092661.html

• Check the rooms – Check the bedrooms, bathrooms and shower rooms for any tiny holes in the walls or ceiling where a camera lens could be visible.
• Check internal decor – Mirrors, book ends, light bulbs and house plants can conceal operating camera’s. Checking these areas could also protect you whilst you stay at the property.
• Turn off the WIFI – Often home installed camera kits run via the WIFI. By turning off the WIFI you will effect be cutting off any video monitoring.
• Shine a torch – Turn off all the lights in a dark room and slowly move the torch around, a camera will reflect the light back at you if it is found to be there.
• Invest in a detector – Professional lens hunters start from as little as £40. 
• Contact the police – It is imperative that if you do find a camera that the police are contacted immediately.

For more information on holiday home security or to speak to our team about protecting your own property or holiday home with house security, then please get in touch. As certified installers of property security equipment, here at SGS Systems Ltd we provide safe methods of holiday home security in a number of options to suit your property and requirements.