[Jewelry making - Article 00121] - Re: [Orchid] Safe Advice

[Brian Symons]

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    While it was many years ago, I worked in the security industry for a
    short time.  A few things that I have learned then and since. 

    Security has to be worked out so that it is followed.  Either a
    person has to be very conscientious to follow the security or the
    security should be easy to use.  I tend to feel that the latter is
    always the best course. 

    I include safes in that "should be easy to use" category.  I saw
    several break ins where great safes were left unlocked because
    people found the combination system hard to use or couldn't be
    bothered calling the security company because the safe required the
    security company to be present to open - a dual key system with the
    security company having one key.  The last case where people
    couldn't be bothered or wouldn't take the time to call the security
    company wasn't uncommon even when the security company had a service
    contract to provide that service.  Good safes can be got with
    electronic keypads that are easy to use. 

    If you do use an electronic keypad for the alarm system or safe,
    change the combination periodically.  I know several locations where
    a person can work out the combination with a little effort because
    of the worn key tops of the numbers that are always used! 

    Alarm systems CAN be used where there are no fixed phone lines.  It
    is quite common in Australia for "redundant" phone access to be by a
    mobile phone permanently connected to the alarm system.  If the land
    line won't work then it dials out on the mobile phone.  I can't see
    why the mobile phone can't be used as the primary link - you may
    have to talk to a few security companies to find who offers the
    interface. 

    If you are getting an alarm system wired in - "wireless" units are
    quite common now though - then get the security company to wire the
    anti tamper lines on the sensors so that they are connected all the
    time.  It is quite common here for alarm companies to only connect
    the anti tamper switch on sensors to the alarm circuit that the
    sensor is on.  As a detector normally requires a pair or wire for
    power and a pair for the alarm circuit, they only need a two pair
    wire to do that.  Wiring the sensor with a separate anti tamper
    circuit requires an additional pair which adds a tiny amount to the
    cost but every cent counts on quoted jobs. 

    The disadvantage of sharing the anti tamper with the alarm circuit
    is that when your alarm is disabled, then the anti tamper is not
    functioning.  The sensor can be rewired to bypass the alarm quite
    safely at that time.  Their will be no warning that that has been
    done when the system is armed.  Most alarms have a anti tamper
    "sector" that is always powered so if someone was to say open a PIR
    (Infrared sensor) when the alarm was turned off and it is connected
    to the anti tamper zone, then the alarm would still sound. 

    PIR (Passive InfraRed) sensors are quite common and operate by
    detecting a temperature change across zone boundaries.  The number
    of zones and where they are located vary as do distances that they
    cover etc.  Some have an additional down looking zone to catch
    someone trying to tamper with the sensor.  PIR's do have some
    shortcomings.  To overcome those "dual tech" systems are available
    which combine InfraRed technology with say Ultrasonic technology. 
    It requires both to trigger to trigger an alarm. 

    Another point about the wiring is to ensure that flexible multi
    strand wiring is used - sometimes the solid strand phone type wire
    is used and it can get a break where the two broken parts of the
    strand are normally touching.  Get a little vibration or a change in
    temperature and the ends part momentarily causing a false alarm.  It
    can be damn hard to find at times. 

    Remember that an alarm system is only worth having if it is turned
    on and if it works.  False alarms either mean that it will not be
    used or that it won't be believed when it does go off; so it is
    useless either way.  As an alarm system is generally going to be
    used for some time, it pays to ensure that you get exactly what you
    need even if it costs more to start with and a quality installation
    will mean few or no false alarms. 

    Alarm systems can also be set up so that in the day mode (when
    turned off), they will still offer perimeter security and give a
    chirp or beep when people enter given zones.  That way  you have
    some warning that someone else is around when maybe you didn't
    expect them. 

    Security cameras are also cheap and easy to get now so, again, you
    can be aware of anyone around your premises.  Many of these have
    InfraRed LED's for lighting and are even able to operate in the dark
    in InfraRed mode - black and white but often amazing clarity. 
    InfraRed is invisible to us so the InfraRed LED illumination is
    totally unseen.  If you do fit a recorder then ensure that it is
    hidden away and that no one knows that it is fitted.  A tape is no
    use if the thieves take it with them. 

    Other points to look at are that your doors are solid core doors so
    that a person can not just kick their way in - Australia has been
    very lax in this are and many exterior doors on houses are not solid
    core.  The solid core doors have timber all the way through.  The
    hollow core doors just have a plywood skim with a honeycomb egg
    crate looking cardboard centre. 

    If door hinge pins are on the outside, they should be checked to
    ensure that they can not be removed to open the doors.  One way of
    helping prevent that is to fit a couple of bolts on the hinge side. 
    These bolts are screwed into the edge of the door but are still left
    protruding a little and have their heads cut off.  Matching holes
    into the door frame fit the protruding section of the bolts and
    allow the door to close.  If the hinge pins are removed now then the
    bolts protruding into the door frame still hold the door in
    position.  This is sometimes done just as an extra safety measure
    and manufactured solid steel "Door Pins" are available to do the
    same job.  Decent locks with dead locks should be used and if it is
    a house, ensure that there isn't a glass section that can be smashed
    to put an arm through to unlock it. 

    "Key in Knob" style locks are often very weak.  Here it is quite
    common for thieves to use a pipe wrench to simply turn the knob
    until it destructs.  They can then easily open the door. 

    With your security measures, please also consider how you can get
    out in event of a fire or other emergencies.  Bars and grills and
    deadlocks can make evacuation difficult in emergencies so consider
    hidden keys etc to allow escape if necessary. 

    Inside a building, secure room areas also need to have appropriate
    building methods.  I saw a site where thieves had come through a
    ceiling and kicked their way through 8 or 9 interior walls made of
    plasterboard to get into a "secured" room.  It had sensors on doors
    and windows and on the approaching hallway but the plasterboard
    walls were totally unsuited to the job.  The walls were belatedly
    clad with plywood screwed at four inch intervals and then recovered
    with plasterboard so that a good finish could be easily done. 

    Similar "secure rooms" are now quite common in houses in some areas.
     Generally the master bedroom has plywood fixed to the studs before
    the plasterboard covering and a strong door with good locks is
    fitted.  Generally a mobile phone is left for communications or a
    separate phone line.  In event of a break in, the owner can retreat
    to the bedroom, lock the thieves out and call for help.  The house
    may be trashed but the owners should be safe. 

    Perhaps others can give their findings on security sensors etc. 

Regards,
Brian.

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