In a prototype CCTV upgrade on a busy Surrey forecourt, Secom provided cameras and recording equipment that ensure a clear view of activity at all pumps – and especially of vehicle registration plates. After successful trials, the Secom solution is now being rolled out to other sites.
Patrick Howley – property services manager at Total (UK) – told SMT Online that drive-offs are an ongoing problem for petrol retailers. “It’s a constant battle to keep ahead of the criminal element,” explained Howley. “All our 500 sites have CCTV installations, and we have to keep the equipment up-to-date. We’re now looking at a rolling security upgrade programme, using the latest technology, and targeting about 30 key sites over the next 12 months.”
Solution based on megapixel technology
The Secom solution is based on megapixel technology, which gives a clearer image than traditional ‘scanning’ CCTV cameras. Terry Simmons – Secom’s national accounts manager – said: “The new cameras are rated at three megapixels, and they’re able to cover all activity – and number plates – at up to four pumps simultaneously. The cameras are fitted with day/night lenses, and are linked to large capacity hybrid digital video recording equipment.”
Within weeks of installation at the Surrey site, the Secom solution and new warning signs produced a significant improvement in drive-offs. “We’d had a number of problems at this site, and the CCTV system previously installed simply wasn’t adequate,” added Howley. “One of the issues was that you could read registration numbers when the image was ‘live’, but not when it had been recorded.”
According to Howley, the new Secom system produces a much higher image quality before and after recording. Potentially, this renders the CCTV a far stronger deterrent – and it provides valuable evidence to support any subsequent proceedings. “It’s achieving everything we wanted, and we are now going ahead with plans to roll out the solution at other sites,” he enthused.
Leading to more prosecutions
In conclusion, Terry Simmons explained: “Many petrol station operators are unable to pursue drive-offs through the Courts because older CCTV technology doesn’t always provide a sufficiently high quality of evidence. The system we proposed for Total (UK) is designed to provide top quality images that could lead to significantly more prosecutions. It’s doing just that.”
Secom installs tailored security solutions for commercial, public sector and domestic customers throughout the UK. Its ongoing quality service includes 24-hour monitoring of intruder and fire alarms, as well as video surveillance systems.
The company is the UK arm of a major global electronic security group first established in the 1960s. The group operates in 12 countries, and its 47,000 employees serve no less than two million customers.