Hardware Extra
LOCKING UP FOR LOCK DOWN
» THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS
forced the majority of high street retailers and
businesses to shut up shop, with some of those
on the government’s exemption list electing to
reduce opening hours, or close the retail outlet
side of their business altogether.
Many normally office-based staff are now
working from home and have drastically
reduced the number of shopping trips taken.
Businesses in the supply chain who are unable
to diversify operations to support the national
effort have either scaled back or suspended
operations. The overall result is that otherwise
busy retail, office, leisure and distribution
facilities are temporarily unoccupied, making
them increasingly vulnerable to burglary,
squatting and vandalism.
KEEPING A SMART EYE ON THINGS
Police are advising business owners to focus
on the risk to their premises and regularly review
their security requirements. Burg-Wächter
believes that good security is all about building
in layers. Starting with the perimeter, ensure
any gates at chained shut, with doors, windows
and shutters secured with the highest quality
locks you can afford. Use a strong padlock,
hasp and staple to secure any outbuildings and
warehouses, whilst a padlock, chain and ground
anchor are ideal for keeping forklifts, machinery
and outdoor items in place.
High quality CCTV is both a great visual
deterrent and useful source of evidence.
Modern wireless CCTV systems are relatively
easy to install, with “smart” versions offering
an array of features such as remote monitoring
and event alerts on a smartphone. Similarly,
a smart alarm system will notify you in the
event of a break in, flood or fire, whilst smart
doorbells allow you to see and speak with
visitors to your premises even when you’re
not there. One side effect of the Covid-19
pandemic has been a dramatic growth in
online sales, so it’s also worth considering an
external secure post box or parcel container to
temporarily secure any deliveries until they can
be collected or moved inside.
THE (KITE)MARK OF INCREASED
DOOR SECURITY
Whilst the lockdown has seen a reduction
in home burglaries, unoccupied properties
have become a much easier target for thieves.
The vast majority of break-ins occur through
a door (either by kicking it in or forcing the
lock) and most customers still rely on one or
two primary locks to secure their door.
Sterling’s British Standard Kitemarked
DoorMinder cylinders hold pride of place at
the top of its popular range of Euro profile
cylinders. Available in both 3-star and 1-star
models, DoorMinder Euro cylinders have
been indepently tested to and passed the latest
TS007:2014 standard.
Sterling’s 3-star and 1-star Kitemarked
DoorMinder ranges feature anti-drill, antipick
and anti-bump protection and are Snap
Safe. For added security, 3-star Kitemarked
DoorMinder incorporate an innovative and
patented cam locking mechanism, which
is automatically engaged when the key is
removed.
Coming with a 10yr guarantee, both
DoorMinder ranges cover all popular sizes
from 70-100mm and are available in double
cylinder and thumbturn variants. The 3-star
variant also adds single cylinders to the range
and a new dual finish with satin nickel body
and brass plug. All DoorMinder cylinders
feature a standard section keyway and are
available with either keyed-alike or master key
options.
Pinning and keying services are now
available for both 3-star and 1-star
DoorMinder cylinders through Sterling’s sister
brand Burg-Wächter UK.
SAFE AS HOUSES
The last line of defence for any building
should be a safe, which can be used to securely
store cash, valuables (including goods,
equipment and IT) and important documents.
Carefully considering what you would like to
store, its total value and what danger you are
trying to guard against will help you pick the
right model of safe for your circumstances.
Cheaper safes tend to be little more than
glorified cash boxes, whilst “proper” safes
come in a wide choice of sizes and locking
mechanisms. They also have a selected range
of ratings which can be broadly split into
monetary insurance values and fire resistance.
It’s important to check your insurance
policy for the required ratings and look out
for the “AiS Approved” logo, which proves
the safe has been independently tested and
verified. It’s worth remembering that the safe
must be properly installed in line with the
manufacturer’s instructions, otherwise insurers
may not recognise the ratings in the event of
a claim.
www.burg.biz
54