Businesses Beware: Crime rising in the UK

Latest figures released by the Office for National Statistics show an overall crime rise of almost 13% in England and Wales. This brings the total number of crimes recorded to the five million mark for the first time in 10 years.

The figures arrived just days after senior officers of the Metropolitan Police claimed that violent crime is soaring in the UK and is in danger of getting out of control due to “significant reductions in resources”.

In terms of crime against businesses, previous years reports highlight just how big the problem has been. The most recent survey in 2016 recorded over 5.2 million incidents of crime against businesses, particularly those in the wholesale and retail sectors.

The latest figures show the number of robberies against business properties to be around 6,599 incidents, non-domestic burglaries at 187,802 and incidents of shoplifting a staggering 377,172. The figures also include other offences which businesses can also fall victim too such as criminal damage and arson, of which there were 578,596 incidents between July 2016 and June 2017.

Here at Gateway Automation we have vast experience helping businesses to protect themselves against criminal elements and finding ways to curb burglary, theft, vandalism and arson. We provide a range of products to help businesses to secure their sites and also provide nationwide servicing and repairs to gates, barriers and other perimeter security equipment. To find out more about what we do, please call us on 01522 682255 or visit http://www.gatewayautomation.co.uk/.

How access control can help keep hospitals secure

Hospitals - both private and public, offer unique challenges when it comes to security. Whilst maintaining a welcoming nature and easy access for patients and staff they simultaneously need to be able to preserve the security of their assets and the people they are looking after.

In terms of assets, many hospitals have experienced problems with the control of drugs and expensive equipment which have been the target of thieves and criminals. As hospitals are traditionally busy environments, with low-key security protocols in place, they have increasingly been seen as easy targets by opportunistic thieves where there is low risk and high rewards.

A recent example of this is the rise in theft of nitrous oxide – commonly known as laughing gas – with theft of cylinders occurring at hospitals in East Kilbride, Bridlington, Crawley, Dumfries, Lincoln and Kidderminster in recent years. Despite being recently banned publicly under the Psychoactive Substances Act, laughing gas is now the second most popular recreational drug in the UK and therefore a high target for criminal drug gangs who have begun targeting hospitals.

However, it’s not just theft that is a concern for hospitals. There are also problems with assaults against both patients and hospital employees. A problem which has even led some hospitals such as Camden and Islington to employ a team of Local Hospital Liaison Officers to offer protection.

One of the key techniques that hospitals can employ to make their hospitals more secure is to install quality access control equipment. By using biometrics and other cutting-edge technology such as audio/visual intercom they can lock down specific areas of the hospital where equipment, assets such as medical files, important hospital infrastructure or vulnerable patients can be kept safe from criminals.

Gateway Automation provides a range of products including access control equipment to help businesses and individuals secure their sites against crime. We also provide nationwide servicing and repairs to gates, barriers and other perimeter security equipment. To find out more please call us on 01522 682255.