Crow-bars no match for CCTV

A security firm has stopped a gang of dangerous criminals in its tracks and saved the Forestry Commission in Surrey thousands of pounds in time and equipment.

A security officer in ADP Security Systems’ remote control centre in Petersfield was watching the CCTV for a Forestry Commission depot and yard near Farnham on the night of 17th November. Suddenly, at 23.16 he saw four individuals wearing hooded tops attempting to use crowbars and bolt-croppers to break-in to some equipment sheds.  The security officer used a tannoy on the CCTV system to warn the criminals, and then called the Police as well as deploying two ADP mobile patrol vehicles to the scene. He continued issuing loud warnings over the CCTV system. Being in the vicinity, the first to arrive was an ADP mobile patrol officer and, on hearing the vehicle, the criminals fled empty-handed.

A toughened security door put in by ADP Security Systems and a CCTV system, which is monitored 24/7, gave the night-time robbers no chance to break in as they had intended.

Julian Williams, beat manager for the Forestry Commission, said: “We are over the moon. For us the saving grace was the camera and it did stop the intruders. From the FC point of view we had the cost of fixing the door but that is all. We are really pleased with ADP’s equipment on site and also their response.  It couldn’t have been a better outcome for us.”

David Preston, director of ADP Security Systems said: “Our clients have complete peace of mind in the knowledge that their sites are secured day and night with one modern, integrated system. We offer a Remote Guarding Response which means that our security officers can be on site within minutes of an electronic alert to provide a human presence if needed.”