DeterTech - Experts & Thought Leaders

DeterTech and Northamptonshire Police have partnered in a joint initiative to prevent burglary and deter opportunistic thieves operating in Northampton. Under the "Stand up to Crime” initiative, Northamptonshire Police will distribute crime prevention packs including SmartWater kits to residents in two pilot areas – Weston Area Northampton and Corby Kingswood. The initiative has been designed and funded by the Office of the Northamptonshire Police, Fire, and Crime Commissioner after successfully being awarded funding from the Home Office Safer Streets 5 fund. secure national database The crime prevention scheme enables residents to forensically mark their valuables with SmartWater and register their ownership on a secure national database. Each kit will include SmartWater, an invisible forensic solution, as well as warning stickers to deter potential burglars. SmartWater It is guaranteed to last for a minimum of five years in all weathers, even withstanding explosive blasts Developed by DeterTech, SmartWater is the only forensic marking technology that retains a 100% conviction rate in contested court cases, with scientists only requiring a trace of SmartWater the size of a full stop to irrefutably link people or property back to the scene of the crime. It is guaranteed to last for a minimum of five years in all weathers, even withstanding explosive blasts and harsh solvents, ensuring criminals can be convicted and that recovered goods can be returned to their rightful owners. “Stand up to Crime” initiative In conjunction with the “Stand up to Crime” initiative, Northamptonshire Police has also upgraded its custody suite facilities to better detect SmartWater technology. This proactive measure underscores the Force's commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology in the fight against crime. Dave Lewis, Police Relationship Manager at DeterTech comments, “Burglary is a sickening offence, and we commend Northamptonshire Police for spearheading this crime prevention initiative that will help bring peace of mind to hard-hit communities. SmartWater has been proven in domestic and commercial environments for over 30 years, which is why criminals actively avoid it.”

DeterTech, renowned as the pioneering gold standard for temporary site security, is pleased to announce it will be bringing its full portfolio of site security, crime intelligence and forensic marking solutions to the Welsh Construction Shows. Having just opened its new Welsh office, DeterTech invites visitors to the Cardiff City Stadium on the 15th of May and the Swansea.com Stadium on the 9th of October to get up close and personal with the ultimate intruder deterrence and detection technology. Comprehensive portfolio of solutions The Welsh Construction Shows are Wales’ largest trade exhibition, providing a platform for the building and construction industry to network, view live demonstrations and discover the latest innovations to optimise their operations. On the DeterTech stand, attendees can familiarise themselves with a comprehensive portfolio of solutions designed to predict, deter and detect theft, trespass and vandalism from construction sites. Attendees can familiarise themselves with a broad portfolio of keys designed to predict Taking pride of place on the DeterTech stand is the PID 360, a wireless, armoured, and rapidly deployable unit that is proven to reduce unauthorised site access and the project delays associated with the theft of stock and equipment and the additional costs of replacement. Connected to DeterTech’s state-of-the-art Alarm Receiving Centre, it ensures every activation is monitored and reviewed by qualified operators and escalated, where appropriate, in an average of just 47 seconds. SmartWater forensic marking solutions Visitors to the stand can also learn more about DeterTech’s crime intelligence services for police and industry, as well as the full range of SmartWater forensic marking solutions. SmartWater is feared by the criminal fraternity thanks to its status as a tried and tested component of crime prevention strategies that has been proven in domestic and commercial environments for over 20 years. SmartWater is a unique substance that is invisible to the naked eye but that glows yellow-green SmartWater is a unique substance that is invisible to the naked eye but that glows yellow-green when exposed to UV light. It is the only forensic marking technology that retains a 100% conviction rate in contested court cases, with scientists only requiring a trace of SmartWater the size of a full stop to irrefutably link people or property back to the scene of the crime. It is guaranteed to last for a minimum of five years in all weathers, even withstanding explosive blasts and harsh solvents, ensuring criminals can be convicted and recovered goods can be returned to their rightful owners. Deterrent and detection solution By combining SmartWater and PID360 DeterTech can offer a complete deterrent and detection solution supported by trained and experienced staff to reduce the risk of unwanted intrusion and theft on any construction site. Adam Birkitt, Head of Sales, South at DeterTech UK, says, “Wales is a hive of construction activity and we’re not going to let criminals take advantage of that. I’m looking forward to another great year at the Welsh Construction Show and the opportunity it presents us to connect with new and existing industry connections.”

DeterTech is pleased to announce it will be bringing its full portfolio of site security and forensic marking solutions to Nordybgg 2024, taking place at the Stockholmsmassan, in Sweden, from 23-26 April, 2024. Visitors are invited to Stand AG:46 to witness the gold standard in intruder deterrence and detection technologies.   Nordbygg is the Nordic region’s largest meeting place for the building and construction industry, attracting visitors from across Scandinavia, the Baltic States and Europe. Introduced DTSentinel CCTV tower Visitors to Stand AG:46 can get their hands-on the DTNet–a fully managed and visually verified alarm system for the building and construction industry. The DTNet is built around the industry-renowned PID 360, an armoured and rapidly deployable unit that is widely feared by criminals and proven to reduce trespass, theft and the associated unwanted project delays. Every single activation is reviewed by a fit operator with a response time of just 47 seconds It can be deployed in any combination alongside the newly introduced DTSentinel CCTV tower, and other components in the DeterTech site security portfolio, all of which are monitored 24/7/365 in DeterTech’s state-of-the-art Alarm Receiving Centre. Every single activation is reviewed by a qualified operator with an average response time of just 47 seconds. SmartWater forensic marking solutions Visitors to the DeterTech stand can also familiarise themselves with the full range of SmartWater forensic marking solutions, a tried and tested component of crime prevention strategies that have been proven in domestic and commercial environments for over 20 years. SmartWater is a unique substance that is invisible to the naked eye but that glows yellow-green under UV light. It is the only forensic marking technology that retains a 100% conviction rate in contested court cases, with scientists only requiring a trace of SmartWater the size of a full stop to irrefutably link people or property back to the scene of the crime. Nordic building and construction community It is guaranteed to last for a minimum of five years in all weathers, even withstanding explosive blasts and harsh solvents, ensuring police can always hold thieves to account when stolen property is recovered. Johan Buch, Country Director for Sweden at DeterTech, says, “The DeterTech portfolio, most notably the PID 360 has already been incredibly well-received by the Nordic building and construction community. We look forward to the opportunity Nordbygg presents to introduce it even more widely.”

Although inflated fuel prices have somewhat settled since the summer, recent changes in legislation mean construction sites are particularly vulnerable to attempted fuel thefts. Read on to find out what’s changed, and what’s proving effective in mitigating the threat. What are the changes? As of April, this year red diesel can no longer be used in a range of vehicles, including those in construction. That means fuel bowsers are now filled with the same white diesel available to members of the public at petrol stations across the country. In contrast to red diesel, white diesel is not illegal to use in vehicles on public roads and it also attracts a higher rate of fuel duty. As such, it is a much more lucrative entity for thieves to steal and is vulnerable to both internal and external pilfering. It also makes it more challenging to trace perpetrators who can no longer be identified through the presence of red diesel in their fuel tanks.   Who is most at risk? Rural and unmanned sites A rise in attacks has been reported in Thames Valley and Cumbria, areas with a large amount of countryside Rural and unmanned sites are particularly vulnerable, with sites in remote spaces seen as ‘easy money’ for thieves. Indeed, a rise in recent attacks has been reported in regions such as Thames Valley and Cumbria, areas with a large amount of countryside. Construction vehicles and fuel bowsers Construction vehicles and fuel bowsers are both at risk where they are more remote. Often, these sites are poorly lit and barely protected, making them particularly susceptible to larger-scale thefts. By June of this year, a reported 167 cases of fuel thefts had been reported in Cumbria alone, around eight a week. Smaller, temporary construction sites Comparatively, smaller, temporary construction sites are often located in more densely populated and busier areas. These are more likely to be easily seen and well-lit by surrounding street lamps. Sites like these are less vulnerable to heavy siphoning. However, they can still be targeted and, further, face restrictions on the kind of security solutions that can be installed.  For example, tall physical barriers may not be permitted in city areas and there may be a limit on the kinds of CCTV that can be erected. All kinds of construction sites, therefore, face a threat to their fuel security.  Understanding these differences in risk level is the first step to creating a bespoke solution to fuel theft. What next? 1) Deterring entry: A primary and basic line of defense would be installing physical gates and barriers to dissuade criminals from entering Criminals can first and foremost be deterred from a site by its physical appearance and the presence of deterrent infrastructure. A primary and basic line of defense would be installing physical gates and barriers to dissuade criminals from entering the premises. Although simple, deterrents such as these are often all that is needed to discourage and decrease theft. Restricting key entrances to sites also restricts the size of containers or vehicle potential thieves can get onto sites, minimising the financial impact of the theft. Access control systems More sophisticated access control systems can fortify this first line of defence. These allow owners to have greater control over who enters their premises by protecting entrances with a passcode, for example. This can be tailored to specific areas of the site or cover the area as a whole. Access can also be time-restricted, deterring theft during darker hours, a time when it is most likely to occur. In doing so, the flow of authorised personnel can continue while unwanted visitors are restricted. 2) Detecting criminals: The threat of detection and potential conviction is perhaps the biggest deterrent to those wishing to carry out fuel theft. This can be achieved in multiple ways, including: Surveillance CCTV is one of the most effective ways to deter criminals from entering a site. It is important that CCTV cameras are visible, and therefore that the threat of identification is evident to thieves. With good lighting and extensive coverage, CCTV-ed areas are often avoided by criminals looking to steal fuel. Intrusion detection and monitoring 24/7 surveillance and verified visual monitoring systems should be placed in strategic locations to deter thieves You might also consider more fortified versions of surveillance such as rapidly deployable self-monitored camera systems and intrusion detection units for 24/7 surveillance and verified visual monitoring. These systems should be placed clearly and visibly in strategic locations to deter thieves who are unlikely to try their luck against units with both low lighting capabilities and vocal warning systems. With this imposing presence, sites can be safely secured against temporary threats. Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) For site managers seeking further protection and reassurance, intrusion detection and video surveillance units linked to an in-house Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) are a great way to further bolster fuel security on-site. In the ARC, a team of SIA licensed operatives provide around-the-clock monitoring, thus ensuring rapid response to alarm activations and faster on-site action to prevent and detect intruders. In this way, if a theft does occur, it can be dealt with swiftly and its potential impact reduced as much as possible. Forensic marking The threat of identification can also be achieved via forensic marking. Fuel stores, bowsers, pumps, and tanks can be protected with unique forensic marking solutions to provide forensic trace evidence linking a thief to the scene of the crime. Signs and stickers As with CCTV, forensic marking systems must be made visible and signposted to enhance deterrent properties Only needing a sample the size of a speck of dust to test, DeterTech scientists can provide police forces with powerful trace evidence. The more traceable fuel is, the less likely criminals will want to seize it. As with CCTV, forensic marking systems must be made visible and signposted to most effectively enhance their deterrent properties. Labels such as signs and stickers can be used to signal the presence of SmartWater, thus deterring criminals who are familiar with the technology and know that the forensic liquid has a 100% conviction rate in tried court cases. Preventative strategy The rise in fuel theft can be symptomatic both of personal desperation and malicious external criminal organisations. However, it is important to be protected against it regardless of the cause, particularly in the construction industry, where the completion of projects risks being derailed. Understanding the insecurities of different sites makes it possible to build a preventative strategy that can both deter and reduce the impact of criminal attacks.