Are You Turned On?

Are You Turned on?

Last week we received an enquiry from a very distressed woman. She wanted to beef up her security after a break in the previous night. The break in had occurred while her family slept and CCTV footage showed that the intruders had been in her home for over an hour going through drawers and cupboards for valuable items and cash. Luckily no-one woke up and disturbed them and they were intent on property. No-one was physically harmed however it will be a very long time before this woman or her family rest easily at night. The psychological impact of a home invasion should not be underestimated.

What makes this story remarkable is that it was avoidable. The family home has had a modern, high quality security system. If it was turned on the intruders would not have been able to enter the home without alerting everyone inside.
Unfortunately this isn’t unusual. All too often we are contacted by victims of crime who haven’t used the systems that they have had installed.  An alarm system or CCTV is a great deterrent but it works far better when it is activated.

People have a number of reasons for not activating their systems. Two of the most common reasons we hear are that they are concerned that it will be triggered by their children moving around in the night, and that people simply find it an inconvenience to arm and disarm the system every time they leave the house.  These are issues that can easily be overcome.

If you are concerned that people in your home will trigger the alarm you can ask your security provider to show you how to isolate the entry points of your home or use sensors on all your doors and windows. If you find that using an alarm panel to arm and disarm your system is too inconvenient for day to day living ask about remote entry. A remote control similar to that used by many cars can arm your system with the click of a button.

Being specific and detailed about your lifestyle and expectations with your security provider will allow them to tailor a system to suit your needs. The better suited to you a system is, the more likely you are to utilise it. If you are not utilising your system fully please consider contacting a security system installer and asking them to adjust your system to suit you better.

It is important that you use your system properly because no matter how good your system is, if it is not turned on, it can't protect you the way it should.

Ghosts and Ghoulies

We lent some CCTV equipment to the Kyle and Jackie O show so they could film their stay in a haunted house.

This is what they filmed

That's not the outcome we expected!!!

Of Zombies and Security Guards.

When Zombies Attack!

Have you asked your security provider what their procedures are in the event of a Zombie attack?

Sadly it seems that most security companies are not offering any anti-Zombie training and have no standard operating procedures to follow in Zombie attacks.  A random sample of 50 Australian security companies that I conducted yesterday revealed that not one of them had a Zombie manual available to its guards. None of the managers I spoke to even knew how to kill a zombie. This is a great concern to us because all too often the first person to get attacked by Zombies is the security guard.

Since a security guard is often the first point of contact for Zombies it is vital that they have some understanding of how to deal with them.

The most effective way to deal with Zombies is to kill them immediately before they have had a chance to infect others.  All guards working for you should be aware that to kill a zombie you must destroy their brains. It doesn’t matter how but I have included a few suggestions below.

Fire – many people assume that fire will not kill a zombie but if it melts their brains it is very effective. A flame-thrower will keep them at bay but you will achieve better results by dousing them in a flammable substance and throwing a match at them.

Firearms – these can be difficult to use against zombies if you are not well trained. If the zombies are at a distance a head shot with a high-calibre rifle will do a great job of destroying their brain however accuracy over distance is difficult for anyone other than a trained marksman and there is also the issue of distinguishing the true zombie from the disillusioned suburbanite commuter. In close quarters a shotgun is more effective but the time it takes to reload might prove a handicap in a high volume zombie situation or a zombie apocalypse.

Bulldozer – if you have access to a bulldozer or tank these are very effective against large numbers of zombies. Just line them up and drive over them. In a bulldozer it is useful to have a good-looking assistant to ride shotgun and kill any zombies that are trying to climb on. Whilst not as effective as the bulldozer a car can be utilised as an anti-zombie weapon so long as you make sure that you run over their heads.  A bicycle is great for the environment but not so great for killing zombies unless you can beat their brains out of their heads with the frame.

Crowbars/hammers – Crowbars, hammers, jemmies and so on are quite effective when wielded by anyone with a bit of upper body strength. They are harder than heads so they are not likely to break. Humans are faster than zombies, which gives them an advantage when wielding weapons.

Ancient statuary  - Egyptian obelisks and busts of dead, famous people make fine anti-zombie weapons especially when dropped on their heads. Modern sculpture can work too if it is sufficiently robust.

Expolsives – ka-boom!! ‘nuff said.

The above list is far from exhaustive but the lesson that I hope that all guards and their clients will take from it is that nearly anything can be used to kill a zombie so long as it is powerful enough to destroy their brain.

Stopping the spread of Zombies.

In any Zombie situation one of the main problems is their ability to convert humans to zombies through contact with blood and other bodily fluids. Many security companies under-rate the importance of preventing infection by Zombies. Some companies that we contacted did not even know how Zombies spread!

Since Zombie infection can occur from scratces as well as biting it is important that security guards are issued with appropriate uniforms if there is any possibility of a Zombie encounter. If you suspect that Zombies will pose a threat to you or that there may be some in our area of operations it is vital that you inform us so that we can outfit our guards correctly.

A normal security uniform is provides no defence against zombie attack. Traditional knights armour and chain mail provides excellent protection but slows the wearer down. Since spped and agility is an important advantage that humans have over Zombies we do not recommend dressing in heavy armour. Luckliy we have numerous lightweight options available to us. Full-face motorbike helmets provide wonderful brain protection. If they are buckled up tightly they will thwart zombies eating your brain even after death since Zombies lack the coordination to unbuckle them. A lightweight Kevlar suit such as that worn by race car drivers will prevent scratches and bites from breaking the skin.

Our guards ready for an anti-Zombie patrol.  

Of Stalkers and Bunny Boilers Part 2.

Sooo..... what do you do if you're being stalked?
The advice given by Gavin DeBecker in his excellent book The Gift of Fear is to ignore them until they go away. It may be tempting to try and reason with them but it is likely that they will see any dialogue as an encouragement.
You should let your family and friends know what is going on so that they don't pass on any information accidentally. If it is possible to change your phone number consider doing so.

Of Stalkers and Bunny Boilers Part 1.

Stalking is a term commonly used to refer to unwanted attention by individuals (and sometimes groups of people) to others. Stalking behaviors are related to harassment and intimidation.

Stalking is the repeated and willful watching, following and / or harassing of another person. Most of the time, the purpose of stalking is to attempt to force a relationship with someone who is unwilling or otherwise unavailable. Unlike other crimes, which usually involve one act, stalking is a series of actions that occur over a period of time. Although stalking is illegal, the actions that contribute to stalking are usually legal, such as gathering information, calling someone on the phone, sending gifts, emailing or instant messaging. Such actions by themselves are not usually abusive, but can become abusive when frequently repeated over time.

Sooo......

What can you do if you are being stalked?
Please read Of Stalkers and Bunny Boilers Part 2.


MySecurity

MySecurity Tip- natural barriers

Natural barriers are always an inexpensive but effective measure to increase security around your home and business. It has worked very well for our clients needing greater security.

The most effective measure has been utilizing thorny bushes. We have planted them along fences and created boundaries and walkways. They can be used well if placed close to windows and screens. you can also place them around large immovable objects on your premises where would be criminals can hide.

There are a lot of different plants, trees and bushes in Australia that both look good and contain a painful surprise. happy plantings.....

MySecurity

CPP and body guard scam

Some operatives have reported suspicious international calls mainly from the Russian Federation requesting personal information in return for an invitation to tender for body guarding and close personal protection contracts. In the reported cases the caller has been a female who seems to be well informed on security procedures and tactics. If the caller is unable to illicit personal information she then tries to confirm a meeting outside the home country.

It's the most recent scam to target the security industry from international criminals. Caution should be exercised when handling international calls especially if the caller cannot verify how they obtained the contact number.

MySecurity