High Value Security Systems - Who Enforces Them ?
Discussion
Simple country boy here, I travelled down to the big smoke to buy a van which had been used for high value Art transportation
It's loaded with 8 cameras, Alarm systems, etc
On the way back I'm trying to work out what various things do and there's a big button on the dash so I press it to see what happens
Nothing seems to happen
Later I noticed two cars flying up behind me and then slowing, one in front and one behind
Then nothing so I overtake the one in front which is a BMW X3 with four blokes wearing combat type gear
They then re overtake me, sit in front for a while and then disappear
Obviously, I thought it was odd at the time but when I've come to remove the various security systems. I discovered that the big button is a panic alarm - which clearly hadn't been decommissioned
Are they likely to have been undercover police or private security ?
I just wondered how these things are enforced and what the costs were likely to be for a false alarm ?
It's loaded with 8 cameras, Alarm systems, etc
On the way back I'm trying to work out what various things do and there's a big button on the dash so I press it to see what happens
Nothing seems to happen
Later I noticed two cars flying up behind me and then slowing, one in front and one behind
Then nothing so I overtake the one in front which is a BMW X3 with four blokes wearing combat type gear
They then re overtake me, sit in front for a while and then disappear
Obviously, I thought it was odd at the time but when I've come to remove the various security systems. I discovered that the big button is a panic alarm - which clearly hadn't been decommissioned
Are they likely to have been undercover police or private security ?
I just wondered how these things are enforced and what the costs were likely to be for a false alarm ?
Sebring440 said:
I don't think he's too worried about "who made the button"....
I think it adds more value than your trite response.If you follow the link it shows how it integrates to the other system I’m guessing are in the van and the infrastructure it links to. You might then be able to make a useful contribution.
Plenty of company vans have trackers. AIUI they work by being wired (permanently) to 12V vehicle supply, they have a GPS receiver and a GSM/mobile phone transmitter with an active SIM card (normally these are specialist long term low rate data things). And part of the infrastructure is it all links back to a service provider/security provider, for which you'd pay a subscription and in return, have a log in to a web app where you could "track" the vehicle location and deduce its speed etc.
Obviously as part of that, adding a simple switch and having its state transmitted is very little extra effort.
A quick Google shows there's loads of these companies out there, and prices start from £6/month. I would imagine a fleet operator would have a fleet discount too, and the ability to easily add/remove vehicles so fitted, probably even have a bulk licence. So its clear in this case, they didn't remove the vehicle from their fleet, and they have paid for a private security firm to be able to respond to the panic button press by their attendance.
Obviously as part of that, adding a simple switch and having its state transmitted is very little extra effort.
A quick Google shows there's loads of these companies out there, and prices start from £6/month. I would imagine a fleet operator would have a fleet discount too, and the ability to easily add/remove vehicles so fitted, probably even have a bulk licence. So its clear in this case, they didn't remove the vehicle from their fleet, and they have paid for a private security firm to be able to respond to the panic button press by their attendance.
The tracking included location, temperature, door opening, AI cameras, vehicle OBD data and an immobiliser that could be remotely operated (to the starter) so pretty comprehensive
Really I was just wondering whether it was likely to be the Police or Private security who these companies call when an alarm goes off
The cost of having cars full of men on standby must be horrific but I was told that the van could be carrying many millions of pounds of art at times
Really I was just wondering whether it was likely to be the Police or Private security who these companies call when an alarm goes off
The cost of having cars full of men on standby must be horrific but I was told that the van could be carrying many millions of pounds of art at times
paul_c123 said:
It will be an interesting technical job to remove it! I imagine the immobiliser part is quite well integrated into the vehicle electrics. At least it starts & runs now, rather than having to figure out what's going on to get it running.
I've been removing car alarms and immobilisers (only out of my cars) since the 90'sIt's not rocket science - follow the wires back until you find a cut one
Although this did have 2 wireless components - that's a first for me - but I'm hardly at the forefront of technology
KTMsm said:
Later I noticed two cars flying up behind me and then slowing, one in front and one behind
How much later was it, and, by "flying" how much faster than the speed limit where they going?I have no idea, but it seems unlikely to me that a private firm would have teams of people on standy to respond to this sort of thing. It'd be taking a bit of a risk to the mission if they had to exceed speed limits to get there, especially over some distance. And what are they going to do when they get there and the perps turn out to be armed?
It strikes me as more likely the panic button would alert a control centre who would call the police - but then even with unmarked cars coming to have a look, I'd have expected marked cars to be seen, you to have been stopped and dragged out of the van.
X3 full of men wearing camo, answering a panic alarm....
There is huge thread for that:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
There is huge thread for that:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
I've had 'panic buttons' fitted to most of the Superyachts I worked on. Most do nothing more than send a pre-formatted email to someone ashore. No instant deployment of black helicopters or anything as exciting as that. I realise that the price of some artwork dwarfs that of all but the largest superyachts, but it may well have been coincidence, as the amount of standby crews needed to respond that quickly would be staggering.
I'd imagine that anything truly priceless being transported would have al sorts of arrangements made ahead of time with multiple vehicles, planned diversions, rolling escorts etc. (and while all that is going on the item is discretely moved in a rusty old transit).
I'd imagine that anything truly priceless being transported would have al sorts of arrangements made ahead of time with multiple vehicles, planned diversions, rolling escorts etc. (and while all that is going on the item is discretely moved in a rusty old transit).
Probably a coincidence and if not, clearly not very good at their job in not stopping you.
I imagine once the van was sold then any comms would have been deactivated anyway.
If private company had the van then would either be their own “ security “ or would pay for police support in the first place but the van wouldn’t be linked to the police and I doubt they would use unmarked cars.
Unlike the gold / money transfers which are escorted by marked police vehicles.
However as already stated , some private transfers of high value items are moved in the most unlikely cars or vans.
I imagine once the van was sold then any comms would have been deactivated anyway.
If private company had the van then would either be their own “ security “ or would pay for police support in the first place but the van wouldn’t be linked to the police and I doubt they would use unmarked cars.
Unlike the gold / money transfers which are escorted by marked police vehicles.
However as already stated , some private transfers of high value items are moved in the most unlikely cars or vans.
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