Securi-Guard Arc Services | News Archive

TAPA - Securi-Guard joins international forum tackling supply chain crime

Securi-Guard has been successful in its application to join the high profile Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA) that helps to combat the security threats to international supply chains around the globe.

With the theft of high value, high risk products being transported around Europe costing businesses more than 8.2 billion euros a year, TAPA provides a unique forum to help combat this type of crime.

It brings together manufacturers, logistic providers, freight carriers, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders with the common aim of protecting supply chains and reducing losses.

Membership of TAPA means Securi-Guard – which operates vehicle monitoring from a National Security Inspectorate (NSI) Cat II Gold accredited Secure Operating Centre (SOC) - has been recognised as having the security knowledge that would benefit the association’s members.

Securi-Guard is looking forward to sharing this with TAPA to assist in the development of the association’s Truck Security Requirements (TSRs).

Securi-Guard’s (SOC) is also one of only five in the country recognised by the UK police for monitoring high risk / high value assets.

Pete Stanley, Head of Telematics at Securi-Guard said: “TAPA plays a significant role in tackling international supply chain crime and we are delighted to be given an opportunity to use our expertise to assist in that.

“TAPA’s 600 plus members includes many of the world’s leading manufacturing brands and transport providers so it is clearly a prestigious organisation to be a part of.”

TAPA members will also benefit from the security coverage of Securi-Guard’s Securi-Track service, which provides an incident response service covering areas of trade in and around Europe.

Securi-Track is the pioneering international vehicle and asset tracking service operated by Securi-Guard, and its network of European partners, which is designed to speed up management of hijacking and theft incidents.

In the event of an incident, the European partners communicate with their own country’s emergency services, preventing any language barriers, which helps to speed up the process of recovering a stolen or hijacked lorry, as well as its driver and load.

Typically, tracking companies go through a third-party operator when reporting incidents of vehicle thefts or hijacking abroad, who in turn alerts the authorities in the particular country where the crime has taken place.

In contrast, Estover-based Securi-Guard’s high tech computer system removes the third party service from the process and links directly to a specially recruited team of security companies in key European countries.

The system means both Securi-Guard and its network of European security specialists are sharing a common computerised management platform that can be regularly updated and reviewed as required, speeding up incident intervention, reporting and investigation.

Securi-Track lands Scandinavian fish transport monitoring contract

Securi-Track, the pioneering international vehicle and asset tracking service operated by Securi-Guard, has won a major contract to monitor fish transportation in Scandinavia.

The Plymouth-based security company provide live 24/7 monitoring of the secure transportation of fish from the Nordic regions to Italy.

This will be done via its state of the art Secure Operating Centre (SOC) at Estover, which is linked to the UK’s 52 police forces and other emergency services.

The contract also involves Securi-Guard’s network of European partners in the Securi-Track service providing a security response to the clients, should any of the lorries be targeted by hijackers or thieves.

In the event of an incident, the European partners communicate with their own country’s emergency services, preventing any language barriers which help to speed up the process of recovering a stolen or hijacked lorry and its load.

It was Lars Albaek, owner of Danish company Al-Kon, who asked Securi-Track to provide the monitoring and European Response Service for the fish transportation.

He works with the insurers CODAN Insurance Denmark/Norway, part of the Sun Alliance Group, and the Norwegian transport company Redline Int Thermo, who operate the deliveries.

It is a requirement of the Italian Authorities that deliveries of this type are safeguarded at all times, making Securi-Track the perfect choice for providing this service.

Lars said he was particularly impressed that Securi-Guard was not only able to advise on the performance of the new tracking devices for the transport vehicles, but monitor both the new and the old models simultaneously during the switchover.

Having worked with Securi-Guard in the past on other European services he was also confident in the company’s ability to deliver the level of service he was looking for via Securi-Track.

“Securi-Guard and Securi-Track are among the leaders in the field for monitoring high risk, high value transports and I had no hesitation in securing their services for this contract,” said Lars.

“Their systems knowledge, as well as their understanding of what my requirements were, resulted in a complete solution that is being delivered in a highly professional manner. I was very confident in their ability to deliver such a solution and I have not been disappointed.”

Pete Stanley, Head of Telematics at Securi-Guard and who was in charge of developing the Securi-Track service, said: “Securi-Track continues to set new standards in the field of vehicle and asset monitoring and we are delighted to be able to deliver a monitoring service that is absolutely tailored to Lars’ needs.”

The innovative Securi-Track system is a major international scheme designed to simplify incident management when vehicles are attacked or stolen – saving customers both time and money.

Securi-Guard lands contract with UK's largest vehicle tracking provider

Ctrack - one of the UK’s largest vehicle tracking and resource management providers - has signed up with Plymouth-based Securi-Guard who will provide 24/7 monitoring of its latest security product.

The Leeds-based firm’s Ctrack ICE is the very latest in lone worker monitoring devices, which are used to protect those workers at potential risk of assault or who work in remote, potentially hazardous locations.

The device offers emergency support for lone workers and two-way voice communication, as well as providing employers with the means of locating its workers in the field when in need of asistance.

Under the contract, the devices will be monitored 24/7 and 365 days of the year from Securi-Guard’s Systems Operating Centre (SOC), which is based at the company’s Estover HQ and is linked to the UK’s 52 police forces and other emergency services.

Head of Telematics UK and Europe at Securi-Guard Pete Stanley –said the new contract would see Securi-Guard working with one of the real industry leaders.

“More than 3,000 companies are now using Ctrack’s advanced technology solutions and we are obviously delighted to be working with such a major force in the industry,” said Pete.

“More and more companies are recognising the value and technological sophistication offered by our services which can now include our European Response Service – Securi-Track and with our eight Gold Accreditations, the most of any NSI member in the UK, Ctrack can be assured of the highest possible level of service and professionalism.”

Launched in July last year, the innovative Securi-Track system is a major international scheme designed to simplify incident management when vehicles are attacked or stolen – saving customers time and money.

Currently, it is commonplace for tracking companies reporting incidents of vehicle theft or hijacking abroad to go through a third party operator which in turn, alerts authorities in the particular country where the crime has taken place.

But Estover-based Securi-Guard’s high tech computer system takes the third party service out of the equation and links directly to a specially recruited team of security companies in key European countries.

RedWed Technologies signs up to Securi-Track

A brand new state of the art tracking device designed to protect vehicle, farm machinery and plant from theft and hijack will be monitored by Securi-Guard’s pioneering Securi-Track system under a new contract deal.

Staffordshire-based RedWeb Technologies is the latest company to sign up to Securi-Track, a UK and Europe wide system launched last year, which has taken incident management for vehicle tracking to a new level.

RedWeb has committed to Securi-Track as Securi-Guard is the only Gold accredited National Security Inspectorate Systems Operating Centre (SOC) in the UK operating such a service.

Its brand new RX-10 trackers devices that are primarily aimed at the vehicle, agricultural and plant markets will be monitored 24/7 and 365 days of the year from the SOC which is based at Securi-Guard’s Plymouth HQ.

Group Sales Director at RedWeb Technologies Chris Smith said, we are excited to be partnering with Securi-Guard and jointly offer our customers the best possible service in the UK and Europe available.

Head of Telematics UK and Europe at Securi-Guard Pete Stanley – who oversaw the design and development of Securi-Track – said the contract was testament to the growing reputation of the system in both the UK and Europe.

“As Securi-Guard now holds the most Gold Accreditations of any NSI member in the UK, RedWeb can be assured of the best possible level of service and commitment throughout the period of the contract, ” said Pete.

“We now look forward to playing a key role in enhancing the reputations of RedWeb within the industry and the partnership represents an exciting opportunity to expand our service offerings to the market place"

Adrian celebrates 25 years on guard

He’s guarded local TV children’s puppet Gus Honeybun, patrolled the parks and car parks of Plymouth - and even been mistaken as a member of a pop group!

These are just some of the lighter career moments enjoyed by Alarm Receiving Centre Alarms Manager Adrian Baker, who is celebrating 25 years loyal service with Plymouth-based Securi-Guard.

“It sounds like a cliché, but it really does only seem like yesterday that I joined Securi-Guard after serving seven years as a Radio Telegraphist in the Army,” said Adrian, 48.

“I have enjoyed every minute though. Securi-Guard is a family business in every sense and I am lucky to have worked with some tremendous people over the years.”

Scott Boyd, Managing Director of Operations at Securi-Guard, said: “Adrian has been with us from the beginning and therefore brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to his current role. He is a valuable member of the team and his 25 years is a great achievement.”

Adrian joined Securi-Guard, one of the South West’s largest independent monitoring centres, on the 3 April 1986. His first assignment was at the now demolished Television South West (TSW) studios, where he spent seven years looking after its patrons – including children’s favourite Gus Honeybun.

Part of Adrian’s role with TSW was to travel with crews on outside broadcast events across the region and tasks included driving an old ambulance to Weymouth as well as guarding a TV set on a beach in Newquay in the middle of the night.

“One of the funniest incidents was during a live Saturday morning show in the middle of Yeovil where pop group Spear of Destiny was due to appear,” recalled Adrian.

“All these children kept asking me for my autograph assuming I was part of the band. I didn’t want to disappoint them so naturally I signed as many as I could.”

When TSW failed to win the South West TV franchise, Adrian decided it was time for a change in role and spent a year patrolling Plymouth’s parks and car parks.

He then jumped at the chance of a role in the control room where he spent several years becoming a familiar voice over the radio to the company’s security officers and creating the rosters for the various site patrols.

It was in January 1997, when Securi-Guard opened its first purpose built Alarm Receiving Centre at Estover, that Adrian had his next change of role.

Since then, as the Alarm Receiving Centre Alarms Manager, Adrian has worked closely with alarm installers across the UK ensuring their clients’ alarm needs are adhered to.

Thousands of alarms are monitored from the centre every day and the service is Gold accredited by the National Security Inspectorate, one of eight such awards the company holds for its services.

Alarm staff help to jail a burglar - 200 miles away!

Alarm Operators in the ARC helped to put a prolific burglar behind bars more than 200 miles away - after he tried to claim he hadn’t actually broken into a house.

Surrey Police identified David Howard from forensic evidence found at the scene and he was arrested and charged. He later attempted to convince police and the court he hadn’t actually entered the property.

But thanks to the sophisticated nature of the security system protecting the house, the prosecution was able to prove the offender had gone inside – and even which rooms he had entered.

Alarm Centre Manager at Securi-Guard, Adrian Baker, supplied a detailed statement to police and it proved crucial in helping to convict 43-year-old Howard, who was sentenced to four years in prison at Guildford Crown Court earlier this month.

Securi-Guard was monitoring the system on behalf of the installers, Sector Alarm UK, which is based in Chiswick, London.

“When we checked the log of the alarm system we were not only able to prove this chap had actually got in the house, but thanks to the individual sensors, we could also track his movements through the house,” said Adrian.

“In this case, the technology used in the system was vital in giving us the information we needed to help the police. We are delighted we were able to help bring this man to justice”

The alarm system – A Visonic Powermax Plus - alerted police to the raid at a large detached house in Banstead in June this year, but although police arrived within minutes, the offender had already fled.

He admitted he had been at the property but gave an account, which denied he had actually entered the house, hoping he could get away with a lesser offence.