New technology hailed by police as major step in combating metal and fuel theft

Feb. 11, 2012 - PRLog -- The Armadillo and Alarmed and Traceable Technology Solutions System (AATTS), developed by Kilmarnock-based PID Systems, are the first purpose-built alarms for protecting vulnerable properties and locations to be approved and recommended by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). The rise in metal theft has been prompted by a hike in global prices for both commodities.

The price of copper rose from £889-a-tonne in November 2001, to a high of £6,356-a-tonne, recorded last year. According to HM Revenue and Customs, an estimated 10,000 incidents of metal theft every year costs the UK economy more than £5.6billion in lost revenue.

Among those hardest hit by copper theft is Network Rail, which saw the number of railway cable thefts rise by 65%, leading to 16,000 lost working hours, between 2009 and 2010, and  BT which saw a 12% rise in cable thefts in 2011.

Churches and historic buildings have also been hit hard. Last year English Heritage issued guidance following what it described as an “epidemic” of lead theft from historic buildings, in particular, parish churches. Similar guidance is being prepared by Historic Scotland.

Graham Jones, the MP for Hyndburn, has introduced a private Metal Theft Prevention Bill in the Commons that seeks to tighten regulation, including a robust licensing scheme for scrapyards. Separate legislation is to be introduced in Scotland.

With petrol expected to reach an unprecedented £1.40-a-litre by the end of the summer, police have reported a massive rise in fuel theft from private vehicles. National data has not been collected but some police forces have reported increases of more than 100% in the past 12 months.

Thieves steal fuel by cutting through fuel lines, smashing open fuel caps, removing petrol and diesel tanks or, in some cases, drilling into the fuel tanks and pumping out the contents.

Theft from garage forecourts - where cars are filled with fuel and then driven off without paying - costs the industry more than £22million-a-year.

Incidents of heating oil theft doubled in the first six months of last year compared with the same period in 2010, according to NFU Mutual, an insurer specialising in farm insurance. The most expensive claim dealt with by the company for clean-up costs, as a result of a damaged tank following an oil theft, was more than £30,000.

The Armadillo system is wireless, so it doesn’t need to be connected to a mains supply. It is vandal resistant and can be installed quickly and easily. Designed to protect

The AATTS, designed specifically for rooftop locations, sounds when an intruder is detected, sending a signal to the owner of the building, to PID Systems and it also captures any attempted theft on video.

It is used in conjunction with an indelible red UV dye which can only be seen under UV light. It coats intruders with a unique encrypted molecular marking agent that can be linked back to the crime scene.

Jacqui Shiel, development manager for ACPO’s Secured by Design initiative, said: “Metal and fuel theft are growing problems which can be very expensive to address, both in the cost of replacing materials taken and in effecting repairs.  Early notification of a potential problem is very important in preventing this disruption and identifying those responsible.

“PID Systems alarms are an effective weapon in the fight against metal and fuel theft because they can be deployed quickly and easily in a wide variety of internal and external locations. They use the latest technology to provide an adaptable early warning and detection system.”

Gordon McIntyre, a director of PID systems, said: “Metal and fuel theft are huge problems in all sorts of locations, many of which are remote with no mains power supply such as at railway sidings, where there are large quantities of copper cables, and on lead lined roofs.

“The AATTS has a proven track record in stopping theft of lead and copper roofing materials. It comprises a wireless, vandal resistant camera, 3G/GPRS communications, giving real time notifications of intruder activity, allowing timely intervention and prevention.

“Should a theft occur, DNA coding provides an irrefutable link between suspects and stolen material, leading to police conviction.”

David Mitchell, Historic Scotland’s Director of Conservation, said: “The recent trend of metal theft also places ferrous metals such as ornate architectural ironwork or architectural bronze in architectural ironwork or architectural bronze at risk.  

"To prevent theft, security systems including alarms, lighting, mechanical fixings and physical barriers should be put in place.”

For more information go to http://www.pid-systems.co.uk/contact.asp

# # #

PID Systems Ltd designs, manufactures, sells, and rents armoured, battery powered, wireless, portable intruder detection and warning systems for protecting a range of situations including empty buildings, vulnerable roofs, yards and construction sites.

It specialises in protecting empty buildings and outside areas such as vehicle parks, transport yards, open surface mines and electricity sub-stations against diesel and precious metal theft, malicious damage and arson.

Last year it went through and achieved the ACPOS Police ‘Secured by Design’ accreditation process.

Most of its current customers are from local authorities, the NHS, utilities, rail, and the private security industry.