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.

Since the introduction of new EU GDPR regulation as of May 2018, there has been heavy media focus on cyber security and what businesses should be doing to tighten on how they administer information and protect customer and client data.

Whilst the focus has often been on technology and in particular, IT admin.  It’s worth remembering that GDPR goes further than IT security and that physical building security also plays a part in the protection of data and so therefore should also be a prime consideration.

By law, offices and businesses are now required to protect their data. Whilst many offices endeavour to be paperless, there is still several companies who require paper trails for their own independent reasons. In these instances, it is imperative that information can be locked away in secure cupboards and that individual office and storage spaces can be locked and alarmed.

SGS Systems Ltd provides physical building security

Here at SGS Systems we focus on protecting businesses who require physical building security options. As certified installers of alarms and CCTV security, we install and maintain wired and wireless alarm systems for offices and commercial buildings where specifically defined areas of protection is required. In conjunction to this, our security alarms can be pre-programmed so that only designated key-holders or those with access control can gain authorised entry.

In addition, our CCTV monitoring equipment provides internal and external surveillance where office spaces require monitorisation.

If your office or business is looking to install or upgrade your existing security system, so that you may sufficiently with new GDPR legislation, then please speak to our property security team here at SGS Systems Ltd. We support commercial businesses with security across the UK with physical building security to ensure that their companies operate safely and that all data is stored securely.

As we continue to enjoy the beautiful hot weather here in the UK, this month here at SGS Systems Ltd, we are particularly focusing on vehicle and driveway security.

We all know how expensive cars can be! Our vehicles are our pride and joy, they are an extension of our personality and even a status symbol. Ultimately, they offer comfort, they allow us to get from A to B and provide us with a solution of convenience. Without a vehicle, life is so much more restricted!

There is always a temptation to leave car windows open and convertible roofs down in the hot weather or and even leave cars open whilst you unwind with your friends and family on a summers day. Unfortunately, this can provide prime opportunities for car thieves who are seeking to take advantage to our relaxed approach to security. Unbeknown to you, they will cease the moment to gain entry into your vehicle within a matter of seconds day or night.

So how can driveway security benefit your vehicle this summer?

Driveway CCTV – One main option is to set-up your driveway security with CCTV surveillance equipment. External CCTV cameras can monitor your driveway 24 hours per day & 7 days a week. By optimally running independently of your attention, means that you don’t have to worry about them, yet have peace of mind that your vehicle is continually protected. As an additional benefit, driveway CCTV will not only protect your vehicle but also any entrances leading up to your home.

Garage Security – Installing garage alarm security is an ideal security method to protect your vehicle whilst it is not in use overnight or during the day. Having a visible garage alarm security system will deter intruders and alert the homeowner if anyone has attempted to gain access. Our garage alarm security alarms are available in wired and wireless options and is be installed by our certified alarm security engineers as single or multiple units depending on the size of the garage.

For the ultimate level in garage security we provide fog security systems for those looking to protect high-net worth vehicles. Our garage fog security is triggered within seconds of entry and will a garage space with thick dense fog, preventing the intruder from attempting any further access.

For more information on our driveway security or garage security, please contact our property security team at SGS Systems Ltd. We provide and install security to homeowners across the West Midlands, Staffordshire and Shropshire counties, and further afield into regions across the UK. To report a crime please see the police.uk website for more details: https://www.police.uk/information-and-advice/reporting-crime/

Recently, we have been covering more and more articles on our social media with regards the benefits of environmental CCTV monitoring.

CCTV security equipment is often associated with commercial property security and how we aim to protect commercial business and properties against unwanted intruders.   This week, we are highlighting how environmental CCTV can help businesses, regions and individuals to improve to look after nature, improve their surroundings and look more closely at the ecological aspects of their environment.

Regularly checking on our environment is key to so many aspects of our ecological system and the future wellbeing of people, plants and animals across the UK and globally. Here are some methods in which environmental CCTV is being used to improve the wellbeing of the environment and nature here in the UK.

Zoos, Wildlife Parks & Animal Sanctuary’s – These organisations benefit from having CCTV installed into individual animal enclosures so that staff can regularly monitor the behaviour and wellbeing of animals.

By regularly checking the CCTV monitoring equipment, animal welfare officers can check closely for any changes to animal behaviour or monitor pregnant mothers and births. This allows staff to not only respond quickly if further support is required, but also allows the animals to enjoy their own space to recuperate without human interference.

The Outdoor Natural Wildlife – Nature programmes across the UK are using environmental CCTV monitoring equipment to survey animals and the landscape. To look for changes and to understand more about habitats so that they can save species and protect regions where they have concerns.

By monitoring nature in the wild, both the day and night, this live evidence is essential to environmental organisations, so that they can understand why and how the eco system is changing in order to evaluate where improvements could be made to support the survival of animals and plants. Everything living aspect from plant life and insects up to birds of prey and mammals and vast landscaped hills can benefit from environmental CCTV.

Environmental CCTV monitoring for ground works – The initial exploration of drainage, underwater pipes and underground caves chambers, often requires the support of CCTV monitoring equipment so that staff can evaluate if the areas are safe enough to explore further.

The CCTV equipment also helps with ground works to ensure that pipes and cables are laid correctly

Slaughterhouses – As of May 2018 it is now compulsory that slaughterhouses across England will now have to have CCTV surveillance monitoring equipment installed and regularly maintained. This has been introduced after 11 randomly chosen slaughterhouses across the UK were found to be guilty of animal cruelty during 2009 and 2016 according to animal welfare group ‘Animal Aid’.

The campaign has been backed by the Farm Animal Welfare Committee, British Veterinary Association, Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the RSPCA as well as UK supermarkets who now insist that suppliers have CCTV installed.

Fly-tipping – Fly-tipping is illegal in the UK but is so regularly often, an ongoing issue for councils across UK. Fly-tipping is not only unsightly to the people who live and drive past these sites but can also cause long terms damage to the environment especially where harmful chemicals have been left and not disposed of correctly. The people that carry out this unruly behaviour have no respect for the environment and need to be stopped. Some councils across the UK are now installing CCTV monitoring equipment in fly-tipping ‘hot spot’ areas to catch the criminals and prevent further harm to the landscape and wildlife.

Does your business or organisation use environmental CCTV monitoring equipment to closely survey environmental interests?

Here at SGS Systems we support organisations who require environmental CCTV for the purpose of their work and the welfare of animals, plant life and the landscape. Our professionally installed equipment is scale-able for small areas up to much larger sites and is used to monitor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For more information about how we could support your organisation by installing environmental CCTV, please contact our specialist environmental commercial security team or see our website.

Blogs used to write this article:

• https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/aug/11/all-slaughterhouses-in-england-to-have-compulsory-cctv
• https://deframedia.blog.gov.uk/2017/11/13/monday-13-november-new-environmental-protections-and-cctv-in-slaughterhouses/
• https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cctv-in-slaughterhouses-legislation-laid-in-parliament

Enjoying the sunshine? Summer is finally here for the UK and so far, we really have enjoyed some glorious weeks; so how can we ensure that our summer home security is in good shape?

For some people the heat is great, for others it can be a little unbearable and so the temptation to throw open the doors and windows and let the breeze flow through is especially refreshing.

Whilst it is great to draw the outdoor air through our homes. It is also important to remember to stay vigilant in terms of home summer security. Often in the summer we are tempted to let down our guard. Having opened up the house, we can sometimes forget to close doors and windows before leaving the property or we may go out into the back garden, forgetting that we have left the front windows wide open.  Are you guilty of not being tight on summer home security?

These are easy targets for intruders to gain access into our properties very quickly and quietly. Jumping through a downstairs window can take seconds and if you are out in your back garden, you won’t even here an intruder on the hunt for your precious possessions.

Also, night time can be a particular summer home security issue. Leaving windows wide open at night when you are asleep gives intruders the prime opportunity to enter your home without having to break in. The better option is to only leave a very small window open which would be more difficult to climb through and internally, open up the room doors to let the air flow through.  Closing your curtains throughout intense sunshine times during the day, will also help to keep the house cool into the evening.   Plugging an electric fan into the main rooms whilst you are in the property, will also help to move the air around the rooms.

In a 2016 article by the Telegraph – “Burglaries which involve unlocked doors and windows should not be investigated according to senior officer”.

The article stated that, “around 20 per cent of burglaries in England and Wales from April 2005 to March 2015 involved access through unlocked doors and open windows”. And went onto say that, “A crime survey conducted by the Office for National Statistics found that around 15 per cent of burglaries took place because doors were not locked, while in around seven per cent of cases a window was open or could be pushed open”.

Stay safer with summer home security

It's important to remember that if a break-in does occur through an open door or window, then not only may the police not be that sympathetic to support your case, but also you may not be covered by your insurance.

This summer its worth keeping on your guard in terms of summer home security.  By making just a few simple changes to the way you protect your property with summer home security will go a long way to keeping you and your family safer by putting you in the right frame of mind to be more vigilant.  For more information on keeping your house safe and secure this summer, please contact our summer home security team. Here at SGS Systems Ltd we provide security solutions for home owners including the installation and regular maintenance of burglar alarms in both wired and wireless alarm options and CCTV monitoring equipment for 24/7 internal and external surveillance around the property.

You can find out more to protect your home on the police.co.uk website:

• https://www.police.uk/crime-prevention-advice/burglary/

Blogs used to write this article:

• https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/10/17/one-in-five-burglaries-involve-unlocked-doors-and-windows-it-eme/