When it comes to remote CCTV monitoring of large open sites perhaps the most unusual example has to be a small, picturesque village in Ramsgate, Kent. In 1998, the village hit the national headlines after some residents were kidnapped by vandals. The local council was contacted to offer advice on what action could be taken to prevent a recurrence, and it suggested the immediate introduction of CCTV cameras with remote site monitoring.
The village in question is the famous Ramsgate Model Village, which re-creates an English country village in miniature. Built in 1953, it has proved a popular holiday attraction for more than two million children and adults.
Costly attacks
According to Ken Wake of Ramsgate Model Village: "We had come to the end of the road in terms of how to prevent these attacks. Initially, our losses were confined to visitors taking the specially carved wooden figures – with 50 irreplaceable figures stolen in 1998. Unfortunately, the situation deteriorated rapidly and we were faced with several attacks at night, rising from one incident in 1997 to a worrying eight per night during the first six months of 1998.
The owners contacted RemGuard Visual Management and after lengthy discussions with RemGuard’s local approved installer, Guardian Security, it was decided to introduce remotely monitored CCTV cameras.
A remote view
Guardian Security installed the entire infrastructure following a full security audit. This included transmission equipment (later upgraded to the RemVu Aquila) and six CCTV cameras, five of which are strategically positioned around the Village and one fitted inside the Village’s on-site workshop, as well as detectors and lighting to provide illumination.
Continues Ken: "A key advantage of this type of system for the Village is the coverage that RemGuard provides out-of-hours. When an incident is first detected, signals from a series of on-site cameras are sent, automatically, to the remote video receiving centre (RVRC) which is constantly staffed. If anyone attempts a break-in now, the RVRC alerts both police and ourselves instantly, so we are able to curtail potentially damaging attacks."
Indeed that is one of the benefits of intelligent remote monitoring. When applied correctly, it has the potential to drastically reduce false alarm rates and prevent criminal damage because incidents are confirmed visually. It also minimises disruption to a business, lowers security costs and maintains vital police cover, compared with more conventional options such as manned guarding.
Since the system became fully operational at the end of 1998, the Model Village has not had any problems with vandalism, especially from people scaling the boundary wall at night. Now the most eventful thing that occurs is children retrieving footballs from the site.
According to Ken: "Even in this case once they pass through a detector, I am notified by an operator at RemGuard’s RVRC who warns me of unauthorised people wandering around, and because the operators have access to a site plan, they know exactly which camera the children are near. If necessary, they can even call in the local police, of course."
Prominent signs have been fixed on exterior walls to warn potential intruders that ’24 hour Security’ is in place, and the cameras are highly visible so they play an important role in deterring attacks. "Thanet District Council has been very supportive and also assisted us in obtaining a grant," says Ken. "We received money through the European Regional Development Fund to help cover the GB pound 16,500 cost of the CCTV installation. The on-going remote monitoring coverage, at GB pound 25 per week, is also extremely cost-effective compared to other possible options such as manned guarding," he said.
Neil McCollum, tourism development manager at the council explains: "It was clear that the security measures the Village had in place prior to remote monitoring were failing to deliver. We have a close working relationship with all of the key tourist attractions in the area and it is in our interest to ensure that they will be around for years to come. The Model Village certainly presented unique security challenges compared to many of the other attractions in Ramsgate, because it is an open air site. We looked at various options in terms of what would be best for for the site, and happily, the worrying situation in 1998 has been quelled by the introduction of remote CCTV monitoring."
RemGuard’s Managing Director, Adam Wiseberg, says: "We are delighted with the positive results at Ramsgate Model Village. Since December 1998, when the system went on-line, the vandalism that was threatening the future of this unique attraction has stopped and visitors can continue to enjoy this traditional miniature English village. Undoubtedly, it is an excellent example of the ability of remote monitoring to cost effectively turn around the security situation in large open sites where other methods have not worked."