JCB Camwatch mobile CCTV System
Paul Mills, Speedy UK sales director (IT, Telecoms & Security)
We started including JCB’s Camwatch equipment in our hire portfolio about two years ago, when we secured a contract to be their sole UK distributor for what we thought was a great product. JCB is about to launch a new hydrogen fuel cell powered version, which means this mobile CCTV equipment does not need to connect to the mains — it can run as a discrete system for anything up to a month.
The hardware is only part of the system — the rest of the hire service is actually remote, with a monitoring service based in Sheffield. It is delivered to site as a box that needs about 1.5m2 to sit on, and a rapid deployment tower that extends 18 feet into the air, with the CCTV on top.
If someone tries to break into the site, the monitoring service is alerted and intruders are warned by on-site speakers. There’s actually a lot of break-ins on site, but the system acts as a great deterrent and only 1% of the cases results in the need for an arrest.
There are other mobile CCTV systems out there, but this seems the most robust and meets all current accreditations. If the electric power cable is cut, it can run off a battery for up to eight hours and alerts the remote monitoring station. People have even tried to set the thing on fire, with little effect.
Weekly hire is about £525 and average hire times are around 18 weeks. £10,000 sounds like a lot of money over that period, but when you think about how much it would cost to get full-time security on site, you might be looking at double the cost. In that regard, our clients see it as a real money saver.
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Of all the plant thefts that occur in the UK, statistics show that only 8% of them are ever recovered, with ever-more organised plant thieves able to easily disable electrical immobilisers. Kosran believes its SmartValve, which can remotely monitor machinery and, if necessary, cut off diesel fuel supply from anywhere in the world, could help in the fight against plant crime. The SmartValve is encased in a thick, robust plate steel shield and Kosran claims the system is so effective that to date, none of the plant it has been installed in has been stolen.
Datatag claims that a CIOB survey reveals that more than 63% of respondents had experienced theft from construction sites on a monthly basis. Tools came in at 83%, small plant at 67%, and heavy plant at 29%. The firm states that from October 2008 to December 2010, out of a total 12,541 reported thefts of machines, only 286 registered with the Construction Equipment Security and Registration (CESAR) scheme were stolen. Datatag has recently launched the new Compact CESAR which can be fitted to smaller plant and equipment.
www.codegate.co.uk
www.kosran.com
www.datatag.co.uk
Products
Tips of the Trade: How to improve your site security
01 Ensure fencing and lighting is adequate
All security lighting should be functional and fencing needs to be of sufficient height. Entry and exit routes should be gated and locked and routes blocked using solid barriers, making unauthorised movement around the site more difficult.
02 Keep a careful watch on your site
Use plenty of CCTV cameras to cover the whole of the boundary fence, not just exits. Undertake out-of-hours patrols, and report all equipment theft to the police and your insurance company.
03 Secure your plant
Machine security is equally important. Use of immobilisers linked to a unique key will make it difficult to start or move the equipment from site. Insist that these keys are stored in a secure location. Use of tracking devices (GPS & GSM) will assist the police with locating the stolen equipment.
04 Use company livery and colour schemes on all equipment
Although this can be removed or changed it does take time and adds expense and may deter thieves. Marking/identification systems may also act as a deterrent.
| 05 Register plant and equipment on industry databases |
Registering your equipment with a database such as TER will provide proof of ownership and, in some cases, reduce insurance premiums.
TER operates Europe’s largest database of owned and stolen plant and equipment. It works with police and law enforcement agencies to assist with identification and recovery of stolen equipment.
