Of major concern to EU law enforcement in recent years is the steady increase in reported burglaries, with estimates suggesting one burglary is committed every 90 seconds in the EU, including agricultural industries, which are being targeted with increasing frequency.
The need to deploy discrete, highly reliable site protection has never been greater.
The Layered Approach
The reality is that single layer security systems often do not provide the protection necessary to safeguard a property from theft or protect high-value assets from increasingly more sophisticated intrusion attempts.
A layered approach to security involves implementing multiple security measures at different levels within a system to create a series of barriers that an intruder must breach, giving the time and intelligence needed to respond effectively, or even prevent damage or theft from occurring entirely.
The cornerstone of any security system is the detection sensor, which much like our own sensory system, is designed to convert data from the outside world into signals for processing; if CCTV were the eyes, then detection sensors would be the touch, taste, and smell, collaborating to relay real-time situational data for a PSIM (Physical security information management) brain to act upon.
When designing a robust intruder security system, it is important to consider detection in three main areas: perimeter, approach, and proximity.
Working from the outside in, perimeter detection is your first line of defence, designed to monitor large areas of space and accurately detect the unauthorised breach of a property boundary, it adds distance, time, and scale to your system.
Approach is the area between the perimeter boundary and the property or asset. Designed to track the movement of an intruder that has breached the perimeter, it can be used to confirm intent and provide the intelligence necessary to act upon or neutralise any subsequent move.
Proximity is the final layer, aimed at detecting any attempt by an intruder to gain access to the building or asset, including entry through windows, doors, walls, and even the roof.
Deter, Detect, Deny, Delay and Defend
Imagine a traditional medieval castle for example, surrounded by a wide moat with a drawbridge, turrets, parapets, and keep, each designed to neutralise a specific type of attack. Sometimes referred to as “defence-in-depth”, its purpose remains the same; to deter and delay attackers, create an opportunity to respond, and mitigate the risk of breach. A process to deter, detect, deny, delay, and defend what you value the most.
Infrared Beams provide a quick, reliable wall of protection between two points, invisible to the naked eye. Cost per metre they are one of the cheapest forms of detection, whether covering a few metres or several kilometres. They can be used standalone for simple detection or combined to cover complex perimeters in multi-layered security systems.
TAKEX Twin Beams are the gateway into infrared beam detection. Low cost and easy to install, they are a simple product for straightforward applications less likely to be influenced by animals, wildlife, and vegetation. They create a perfectly defined invisible line of detection between two points, commonly used to signal intrusion events across driveways, gateways and courtyards, or mounted to sides of buildings to cover single or multiple windows and doors. Twin beams provide exceptional catch performance in an affordable package for zones up to 100m.
For large sites or high-value assets, Quad Beams offer the ultimate in perimeter intruder detection. By synchronising 16 beam paths for maximum stability in problematic environments, a single set can reliably protect perimeters up to 200m, with multiple sets extending to perimeters several kilometres long. Creating an impenetrable line of invisible protection, Quad Beams can be deployed as standalone perimeter intruder detection systems, or to compliment CCTV as part of a layered security system, providing first-line, real-time event signalling regardless of weather conditions or time of day.
Of course, there will always be installations where providing power is difficult. In the remote setting of agricultural farmland for example, there may simply be no power, or the prospect of civil works may be undesirable, impossible, or impractical. In such instances, TAKEX Battery-Operated Beams use industry-leading features and technologies to provide robust perimeter security without the need for cables. They are designed for universal compatibility with your preferred wireless panel manufacturer for a truly wire-free solution to any application.
Once triggered, they can be used to signal a tone within the home, or a siren within the grounds to alert that someone has entered the vicinity of the property. Furthermore, they can be used to contact pre-programmed telephone numbers via SMS; the potential applications for these devices are limitless.