TAKING THE FIGHT TO THE CRIMINALS WITH LPS1175 RATED PRODUCTS
Lochrin Bain’s Gary MacGregor makes the case for increased security measures against the growing threat of theft.
Theft affects most of us at some point in our life and businesses are not immune to this.
From commercial warehouses and construction sites through to fuel depots and farms, a steady increase in the theft of fuel and scrap metal is putting security back on the agenda for companies targeted by criminal gangs looking to make a quick buck. With no consideration of the damage caused, the cost to business or the despair they leave in their wake, opportunists and criminal gangs are using new methods and a wider range of tools to gain entry to sites quicker and more efficiently than ever.
It has been reported widely that criminal gangs are taking advantage of the current fuel crisis, stealing from construction sites, lorries, and fuel depots, cashing in at a time when the country can only sit back and watch as fuel prices hit record highs. In a recent news article, a haulage depot in Newcastle reported 15,000 litres worth of fuel worth roughly £25,000 stolen from their premises with the company representative mentioning several other local businesses experiencing issues with theft. The new red diesel law that came to effect in April is also anticipated by some experts to create a spike in fuel theft exacerbating the issue.
Metal theft is currently estimated to cost £15 million per week across the UK and as scrap metal rates have risen rapidly in recent months thieves are seen to be taking bigger risks as the rewards are much higher. We have seen local authorities removing statues and replacing them with non-metal replicas, Network Rail issuing warnings on cable theft and a general increase in theft with the biggest loser being the tax paying public.
What can be done? Secured By Design the official Police security initiative offer free advice on their website regarding practical crime prevention methods, noting “Fuel theft is a significant and wideranging crime problem that affects many different areas, people and businesses across the UK.” They also work with test houses such as BRE and Manufacturers to ensure products that they recommend meet strict criteria.
With perimeter security being a key deterrent against trespass and crime this is seen as one of the best forms of protection a business can invest in. However, as we are all too aware, not all fences are made equal, which is where the Loss Prevention and Certification Board (LPCB) along with a handful of industry leading security fencing manufacturers step in. LPCB’s roots are firmly embedded in the insurance industry, having worked with industry and insurers for over 100 years. LPCB is now operated by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) which is a profit-for-purpose organisation owned by the BRE Trust, a registered charity.
LPCB’s ‘Loss Prevention Standards’ (LPS) are widely recognised in the security sector and are used to test and certify the performance of a wide range of products and services. A full list of LPCB certified products and manufacturers can be found in the LPCB Red Book.
One such manufacturer with an impressive history securing the country’s infrastructure is Lochrin Bain who have been working with LPCB since 2015 developing a range of Weldmesh systems as well as Palisade systems that can meet 21st century threat levels. Palisade is a versatile product which can be installed easily, rake to uneven ground conditions, and can be stored and moved on sites easily but it also has some flaws, so much so that a standard ‘W’ Palisade design was breached in under 12 seconds by the team at LPCB. This is where Lochrin’s unique vee slot design where the pales pass through the rails rather than bolt to the front face provided a challenge for attackers and allowed specifications to be tested and certified from A1 (SR1), B3 (SR2) and C5 (SR3) making them the first manufacturer to achieve all 3 to the latest LPS1175 Issue 8 standards for Palisade fencing and adding to the range of Secured By Design products on offer.
Lochrin Bain along with BRE, Secured By Design and the country’s leading manufacturers continue to promote certified products over generic designs to ensure the right level of protection is offered to secure people and assets for years to come.
