Netwatch Airport Remote Surveillance System, Monitoring and Response

Plucky thieves have been foiled in their attempts to cash in on the soaring value of raw materials thanks to a state-of-the-art security centre.

Intervention specialists at the Netwatch CCTV communication hub have interrupted a record number of attempts to steal thousands of pounds worth of metal cabling from sites across the UK and Ireland in the last 12 months.

The rise has been attributed to the increase in value of raw materials including copper used in cabling.

Niall Kelly, Founder and Technical Director of Netwatch, explained: “The value of raw metals like copper, aluminium and lead has seen a huge rise over the last year thanks to the fluctuating economy.

“In response to this, our control centre staff have recorded the highest number of attempted break-ins at public and private sites across the UK and Ireland where copper cabling is predicted to have been the target of the thieves.

“Quite often the theft of these valuable metals is carried out by organised gangs equipped with power tools to remove sections of material. Telephone exchanges, electricity substations and railway lines are regularly being disabled by having cabling stripped out.”

The thefts are estimated to cost the UK more than £770 million each year.

Mr Kelly added: “We recently had an incident where criminals arrived outside a Netwatch protected site with a specialist stripping machine in the back of their vehicle. Their intention was clearly to remove the wiring from the unoccupied buildings and strip the copper out to sell it. Luckily our communication hub intervened before any damage was done and the gang was subsequently apprehended by police

“In addition to stripping out electrical wiring, we have seen criminals target lead on roofs, copper piping and even immersion tanks.

Earlier this year Chief Superintendent Eamonn Carroll of the British Transport police described the cable thefts as “the next biggest priority after the terrorist threat”.

NOTES TO EDITOR:
Established in the Republic of Ireland in 2003 by David Walsh, Group CEO, and Niall Kelly, Director of Technology, Netwatch currently employs 80 85 staff. The company’s team of leading security experts has developed a bespoke ‘next generation’ asset protection solution. Netwatch currently monitors security for more than 1,400 blue-chip businesses worldwide as well as a significant proportion of the world’s premium residential properties.
 
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Issued by Beattie Communications on behalf of the Netwatch
 
Neil McDonald Tel: 01698 787855 Mob: 07971 749044 Email: neil.mcdonald@onlybeattie.com
Chris McGhee Tel: 01698 787844 Fax: 01698 787879 Email: chris.mcghee@onlybeattie.com