Paul Dawson, Managing Director of ESP, offers advice on some of the options available to installers to help customers protect themselves, their properties and their vehicles.
Whilst crime in general is reported to be decreasing, there are still some alarming facts to consider when you look at the statistics relating to domestic burglaries, vehicle thefts and anti-social behaviour.
According to a report published by the Office for National Statistics on 21 July 2016 – Crime Survey in England and Wales to year ending March 2016 – more than 700,000 domestic burglaries were reported to the police in the period between April 2015 and March 2016, and the number of vehicle thefts during the same period totaled 878,000.
Anti-social behaviour too is becoming an increasing threat and a survey covering the same 12 month period and conducted among 35,000 participants, revealed that 28% of respondents had experienced or witnessed an act of anti-social behaviour.
Unwanted intruders
The longer winter nights may lead to an increase in the number of domestic burglaries and vehicle thefts as intruders use the dark of night to try and conceal their activity, but the installation of a simple camera and security floodlight system could be the answer to deterring unwanted intruders. For those customers with no external security measures in place to protect their properties, a system like one of those from ESP’s GuardCam range provides a quick and easy to install solution.
GuardCam WF is a complete, all-in-one, energy-efficient PIR LED floodlight, with 720P high definition CCTV system which is suitable not just for securing domestic properties, but also for areas around offices and industrial or agricultural units. The system is easy to install – you simply fix to the wall, connect to the mains power, set and pair the external unit to the monitor by the press of a button and it’s ready to go. Once switched on, GuardCam WF will detect an intruder, floodlight the area and wirelessly transmit a high resolution video recording directly to the internal monitor.
The GuardCam WF-M – Wire-Free Area Protection System – comes with a 7” TFT monitor which features a simple user interface. Images are captured by wire-free CCTV cameras built into PIR controlled security lighting units and digitally transmitted to a choice of indoor receivers with integral SD recording card and comprehensive user controls.
Activity can be continuously viewed and recorded or triggered automatically by on screen movement which can also provide an optional audio alert for occupants, if required. Recorded encrypted images can be transferred to a PC or laptop for distribution using the bespoke software provided. The convenient location of the SD card within the receiver also makes for quick and easy access if image transfer is required.
The system operates on a secure stable 2.4GHz frequency featuring latest FHSS digital technology to eradicate interference from other wire-free devices and provides excellent range – up to 150m open field with impressive image quality. It can be paired with up to four transmitter units (GuardCam WF-T).
Even where an existing security light might be in place, chances are that it is old, corroded and out of order. Yet, a fully functioning, replacement product can be installed in no more than 15 minutes and without the need for additional cabling – an easy solution for installers to sell to customers.
Battery gets you everywhere
Where maximum installation flexibility and speed is required, where there is no available mains power, or simply where a more covert external area protection solution is required – such as discrete recording of anti-social behaviour – a battery powered system should be considered.
In the period between April 2015 and March 2016, 1.8 million incidents of anti-social behaviour were recorded by the police. At the same time the recorded figure of 28% of survey respondents admitting to having experienced or witnessed an anti-social behaviour act shows an increase of 27% on the previous year. These make for worrying statistics and the need to ensure the appropriate security measures are in place is increasingly important.
A stand-alone external surveillance system like ESP’s CanCam VR provides high resolution capture of still or video camera recordings onto a removable SD card. Images can be continuous or automatically triggered by a built-in PIR with illumination provided by integral black infra-red LEDs. Combined with a robust and fully weatherproof outer casing and powered by integral batteries, this provides a fully portable, stand-alone and instant deployment recording solution for a wide variety of applications.
As well as anti-social behaviour, it can also be used for the prevention of fly-tipping, which is becoming an increasing problem for local authorities to deal with. The protection of site cabins, vehicles, or vacant caravans are just a few of the other possibilities for providing protection where no mains power is available and where a quick and simple installation is required.
Since it added the CanCam battery-operated, high-resolution surveillance camera to its external area protection range, ESP has seen a huge increase in the number and range of applications for this product. It’s ideally suited for semi covert, instant deployment security operations and designed for external or internal use, to detect movement and instantly record high quality images with time and date stamping, in all day and night conditions.
Among the many user settings the image capture type and resolution is selectable – either video with audio up to HD720P or stills up to 8MP recording directly to the 4GB SD card supplied. When the card is full, there is an over-write option. Alternatively it is possible to use higher capacity cards up to 32GB. Recordings are taken from the removable SD card using Windows Media Player for simple playback and transfer and recorded footage can also be viewed directly via a PC or TV.
The service life of the CanCam’s battery pack varies according to the resolution and image mode. However, an optional plug-in power supply is included for more permanent use. The camera has a high quality 6mm lens to match the detection angle of the PIR, is designed for pole or wall mounting and has an IP55 weatherproof rating.
The introduction of the latest version – the CanCam VR – sees the standard CanCam housed within a steel, vandal-resistant casing to provide added protection and security and ultimately to prevent theft of the system or the removal of the SD storage card. The metal casing which retains the CanCam is locked in place using security screws which are operated using the special tool that is supplied with the product.
Alternative solutions
CanCam and ESP’s GuardCam systems provide the kind of easy-to-install, instant security solutions that installers can recommend to their customers. They offer an alternative to a CCTV install and lend themselves to same day installation to provide immediate cover and peace of mind.
