Two thirds of farmers and business owners have been the victims of crime, recent research has found.
Damage and theft are the most common offences, but these alone will not only cause financial and physical fallbacks to those who experience the crime, they will also instill fear and apprehension in the wider community.
There has been an increase, especially in rural crime, in recent years. Farmyards are often targets for machinery, animal feed, tools, and agriculture diesel. These goods themselves attract burglaries. But farmyards are no the sole targets. Retail buildings, garages, factories, and construction yards are all at risk. Any business that has a yard or surrounding area that is easily accessible and visible is vulnerable. What's more is commercial buildings, farms and business units usually don’t have people in or around them after a particular hour, leaving them a prime opportunity for crime.
What steps can you to take to protect your home and business?
Hanntec Security are giving the following tips on how to help protect you and rural Ireland as a whole from crime.
Top 5 Security tips:
- With evenings now getting dark, invest in sensor lighting, CCTV and alarm systems and have them timed to come on at dusk. At home, get plug timers and have lights come on in the evening. An empty, dark farm, business or home is an opportunity for crime.
- Keep records of people who have access to keys, passcodes, or any secure entry to your home or business. These keys and codes should be changed regularly to avoid any security breaches. Use CCTV to record people coming and going from your business every day.
- Join a community alert local to you. They're a brilliant resource to keep an eye on unusual activities and alert people nearby if they see suspicious activity. Try to look out for the elderly or people who live alone.
- It might seem obvious, but it often happens – check and make sure all windows and doors are closed and locked, including those upstairs. For businesses and commercial buildings, check that the roof does not have easy access and is secure.
- Be careful of your valuable goods. In the home, make sure they are stored away and not on view to the outside world. Don’t keep cash at home and make sure any garden or farm machinery are secure and locked up.
Hanntec Security are based in Kilmacthomas, Co. Waterford, operated by Jack Walshe and are experts in protecting commercial and business buildings or units and farmyards. They use perimeter alarms which are activated before the crime is committed.
Within metres of your home, yard or business, if a line is crossed, the security system is immediately put into action with CCTV, lights, and alarm noise. You and whoever you choose are informed instantly via your phone. By simply checking the Hanntec app, you can check what is going on and decide what your next action is. Licence plate cameras automatically capture clear and precise pictures of plates in daylight or night, giving you concise information to report a crime.
Tune in throughout the entire month of October to hear Jack's expert tips on keeping your home and business secure. If you have any queries, talk to Hanntec's Jack Walshe, by calling 051 295 556/087 912 2237 or emailing [email protected].
