Lock it, or risk losing it
Lock it, or risk losing it
Why spend big bucks on
security, when some of the
most effective deterrents
cost so little? Andrew
Pearce takes down the
evidence from PC David
Smith, Crime Prevention
Officer with Sussex Police
THERES no magic security wand to be waved over a farm, no universal set of things to do that guarantees freedom from thieving.
So if there is no universal fix, then what? Since Adam cast covetous glances at Eves apple, mankind has been working out ways to hang on to his stuff. So why not compare some of the pictures that follow with practice on your own farm. Let he who is without sin…
PC David Smith likes to lay out a menu of security-improving options from the lowest to the highest tech, encouraging farmers to choose the things that best suit their pocket and way of working. Here, though, we concentrate on his 10 best low-cost, low-hassle options. As he points out, "Convenience is vital. If a security measure gets in peoples way or slows them down too much, they wont use it."
* The basics
The ideas behind self-help suggestions are uncomplicated:
• Reduce the opportunity for crime.
• Deflect the thief away to an easier target. But if that fails…
• Buy time by making the crooks life as hard as possible.
Its also easy to help yourself (and the whole community) by improving information flow between farms and the police. So why not join and use the local Crime Ring, or Farmwatch, the rural equivalent of Neighbourhood Watch? Your Crime Prevention Officer (CPO) has details – make contact through any police station.
The Sussex version of Crime Ring is free and works like this. The farms phone number goes on a list and you get a central number to call.
When a ring member or the force spots something that others should know about – a pick-up in the wrong place at the wrong time, known oddballs in the area, whatever – the CPO records a message for immediate delivery by automatic machine to all members. The system is bright enough to recognise an answerphone, and wont call you in the middle of the night unless you want it to.
By way of signing off, PC Smith asks a reasonable question: "Would you voluntarily stuff a suitcase full of £10 notes and leave it open at the farm gate? Thats effectively what youre doing by not taking precautions against theft."
Self-switching security lights are cheap, help staff and put off intruders. Mount lamps high so the bulb cant be smashed by belting the casing with a pole, and add grilles over the glass, so breaking it with a stone is harder. Keeping potential light-smashing tackle indoors forces thieves to bring their own.
If you cant protect a lock, buy one with inbuilt defence. This big Chubb Cruiser (£50-£75) has high shoulders; once its snug in the doors hard-faced staple, bolt croppers cant get to it and sledgehammer blows will slide off.
Theres not much point locking a field gate if it can be lifted off its hinges. Welding a cap on one of the rides (inset) stops it walking and discourages stock thieves.
Control access. This farms main drive would be less attractive to the casual visitor if fenced across and gated, forcing traffic to stop by the house. The same "mental barrier" approach goes for all access points. But gates have to be kept shut to work, so self and staff may have to be persuaded into "thinking secure".
A crowbar would soon have these hinges off. At least replace woodscrews with coach screws. Better still, use round-headed coach-bolts that pass right through the door.