Category Archives: CCTV

Neighbourhood Watch Survey

Neighbourhood Watch Crime & Community Survey

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A survey, conducted by Neighbourhood Watch and SimpliSafe Home Security, has revealed the extent of the public’s concerns about their security.

The survey, which took place from October –  November 2023 and collected almost 29,000 responses across England and Wales, shows a majority of people believe crime levels in their area have either increased or remained stable. Only 2% of those polled believe crime has decreased in their area.

The results also show that a home burglary is the second most common crime people worry about, with criminal damage to their property coming in seventh.

Perhaps the most worrying statistic is that 37% of people have been a victim of, or witnessed, a crime in the previous 12 months. Regionally, this was highest in Greater London, the North East, and West Midlands; and lowest in the South West, East of England, and the South East.

Some other findings include:

  • 27% of those surveyed lacked a feeling of safety, with 4% of those feeling “very unsafe”
  • Antisocial behaviour, burglary, and cybercrime, are the three crimes people are most worried about
  • Over half of under 44’s said they had experienced a crime, compared to just over a quarter of over 65’s
  • 46% of those who had experienced a crime either didn’t report it to the police, or stopped before completing the report.
  • The most common reason for this was the feeling that nothing would be done

Thankfully there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of crime to you or your property. Visual deterrents such as intruder alarm bellboxes, CCTV cameras and security lighting can make your property less appealing to criminals. Good security practices such as locking windows and doors when you go out, or not leaving valuables on show, will also help reduce the likelihood of a break in.

Another worthwhile step is joining a community-based group such as Neighbourhood Watch. With a burglary taking place in the UK approximately every 106 seconds, prevention is a key focus. You can find out how to join, as well as the benefits membership provides, HERE

Should you wish to discuss any aspect of your home or business security with one of our team of experts, or to book in a free, no-obligation survey at your property, get in touch with PFS via our contact form HERE

The full Crime and Community survey can be found HERE

Rural Crime

Rural Crime

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Despite a decrease in recent years, rural crime was once again on the rise last year.

Farm vehicles and machinery, fuel, and even livestock, are all targets for thieves – crimes that cost tens of millions every year.

PFS Security Systems Ltd can help protect your property. From our CCTV and intruder alarm systems, to our access control and gate automation solutions, we can help protect Wiltshire this winter.

Tel: 01793 642 792
Email: sales@pfssecurity.co.uk

Door Entry Systems

Improving The Security Of Your Building

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For the past few years, the U.K. has enjoyed a steady decline in the crime rate. However, this has evidently come to an end, with the Office for National Statistics recently releasing data that shows the biggest jump in crime in a decade. “The latest figures show the largest annual rise in crimes recorded by the police in a decade,” commented John Flatley, crime statistician and analyst at the Office for National Statistics. “While ongoing improvements to recording practices are driving this volume rise, we believe actual increases in crime are also a factor in a number of categories.” These statistics suggest it has never been more important for you to ensure your home or office is safe and secure from intruders. Here are a few simple things you can do to improve the security of your building:

Install a Surveillance System

CCTV technology has dropped in price significantly over the years to the point where it’s affordable for just about every consumer and business. Here at PFS Security Systems Ltd, we’re proud to offer an extensive range of simple to use CCTV systems that provide you with unparalleled oversight of your property.

Store Expensive Items Out of Sight

High-ticket items in line of sight of a vulnerable window are very tempting to opportunist burglars. If you live on the ground floor or in an area with a lot of foot traffic, you can improve the security of your building by storing expensive items such as jewellery, artwork and portable electronics out of sight.

Install an Intruder Alarm

Few things are as effective at deterring would-be thieves as a professional intruder alarm. We’re able to install a variety of intruder alarms and detection units that include 24 hour monitoring and police response services throughout many parts of England. We’ll work with you to design and implement a security system that works best for your property.

Join or Form a Neighbourhood Watch Group

Cutting edge security technology can play an important role in improving the security of your building, but don’t forget about the power of community. An active Neighbourhood Watch group can be a very effective way of increasing security, bringing the community together and reducing crime in your local area.

Increase Outdoor Lighting

It should go without saying that criminals like to stick to the shadows where they can’t be seen. Flush them out of the darkness with some bright outdoor lighting positioned in such a way that it shines on your property’s most vulnerable areas. Here at PFS Security Systems Ltd, we’ve been in the business of securing homes and offices since 1989. With a focus on personable customer service and industry-leading alarm and surveillance systems, we’re the number one choice of security system providers in the Swindon and Oxford areas. Give us a call today and have a chat with one of our specialists about how we can improve the security of your building.

Security Companies Wiltshire

Three Effective Ways to Improve Your Business’s Security

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Here at PFS Security Systems we offer a number of solutions that will help you keep your business secure. Crime is on the rise in many parts of the UK, and it is often business premises that are the target if burglaries and vandalism. If there are weaknesses in your security, it may only be a matter of time before the criminals take advantage of this. Here are just three options that you might like to consider for improving the security of your property: 

Access Control Solutions 

One of the keys to keeping your business safe is to closely control the people who have access to your property. There are a number of viable options for how you can do this. If you always have somebody at the front desk, a good option might be to install a door entry intercom system. On the other hand, if you have people coming at all times of the day or night, a much better option could be to use smart card technology. PFS Security Systems can provide many different access control solutions, and we will be happy to help you find the option that will work best for you. 

CCTV

A CCTV solution can mean that you will have every sensitive part of your premises monitored. It is even possible to create 360 degree coverage. Just having CCTV in place will be enough to deter most criminals. Us here at PFS Security Systems can not only install CCTV for you, but we can also arrange for remote viewing so that you can keep an eye on your property no matter where you are in the world. CCTV can work particularly well when it is combined with other security measures. We will be able provide something suitable for both manned and unmanned sites.

Intruder Alarms

There are many different types of intruder alarm, and there will be something to suit the needs of every kind of business. There are also a range of alarms to suit different budgets. The most important factor with any intruder alarm is that it is reliable, and we only ever deal with quality products. We will also be able to provide twenty-four hour monitoring to ensure that if the intruder alarm is triggered, it will be dealt with. Our team is committed to providing you with the alarm system that will best suit your needs, and the needs of your business. PFS Security Solutions is ready to help you make your property more secure. Contact us right now to find out about the security options that will work best for your business premises.

CCTV Installation

Get the CCTV system that works for you

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Trying to find the right CCTV system to suit your needs can seem like a bit of a minefield – there’s a lot to consider and, if you don’t work with CCTV day in, day out, it can seem a little overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to… We’ve put together a few of the essential things that you should be thinking about when preparing to buy a new CCTV system. The following tips work whether you’re buying for your home or your business:

Think about where you want it

Firstly, you need to decide whether you want to install the cameras to focus on the outside, inside, or both. This will impact the cameras you buy – for example, if you want to focus on outdoor CCTV, you’ll need to make sure they’re weatherproof. Secondly, you’ll need to consider the areas that you’d like to target. This will help you get a rough idea of how many cameras your system will need to have. You might only need 1 or you might need 6. You won’t know until you take the time to work out exactly where you want the cameras to focus.

Decide whether you want black and white or colour cameras

For low light conditions, it’s always recommended that you use black and white cameras – just to ensure you get the best visibility possible (which is essential with CCTV). Colour cameras work well in good lighting conditions so if you’re focusing on well-lit indoor areas, you might want to opt for these.

Would you prefer your cameras to be visible or hidden?

Again, the answer to this question will have an impact on the system that you buy. There are benefits to both options so you’ll need to weigh up which option works best for your needs. If you’re not sure, you can always get in touch – we’ll be happy to advise you.

Installing it yourself vs CCTV installers

You need to ask yourself whether you have enough knowledge and understanding of the system – not to mention time – to install it yourself or whether you’d prefer to have professional CCTV installers come in and set everything up. More often than not, it’s not worth the risk of installing it yourself – because if you don’t get it 100% spot on, your system might not function properly. Which, in turn, makes your CCTV system a little useless. Plus, if you do decide to get the professionals in, you may find that they’re able to advise you on which system to buy in the first place, so you can be sure that your CCTV is going to work for your specific needs.

Don’t forget about storage

If you’re planning to record the footage, how much footage would you want to store at a time. If you only want to store the previous days worth, you’ll need less storage than if you wanted to save months at a time. So take the time to consider what’s going to be best for you. Advancements in technology also mean that you now have the option to see real-time footage on your phone, wherever you are, thanks to apps. If this is something you’d be interested, make sure your CCTV system has the capacity for that.

Should you opt for an alarm and CCTV combo?

Whilst CCTV offers the surveillance aspect of security, it doesn’t always raise the alarm – which is why we would always suggest using burglar alarms alongside CCTV. That way you can be sure that your security is of a high standard and offering you great protection. Hopefully this gives you a clear idea of what you should be thinking about when it comes to buying a CCTV system, whether that’s for your home or your business. If you have any questions or would like some advice on what alarms or CCTV system would work well for you, call us now or click here to use our contact page.

CCTV Installers

Why Choose PFS Security Systems?

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What we aim to provide here at PFS Security Systems is not only some of the most sophisticated and advanced intruder alarm, CCTV and fire alarm systems around, but we compliment our outstanding products with a complete and all-round service. We want you to feel secure, comfortable and have trust not only in our alarm systems, but trust in the service you receive from us. Whenever the security of your property, well-being and those around you is at risk, it really is no laughing matter, which is why you can have peace of mind thanks to our years of experience and boundless expertise. Operating throughout Oxford, Reading, Bristol and the surrounding areas, we are dedicated and committed to providing your communities with security systems that are effective, efficient and most importantly secure.

But what makes us stand out from the rest?

1. Sophisticated Security Systems 

We are proud to boast only the most advanced and technologically-enhanced security products around. Depending on the size, scale and magnitude of your security operation, our knowledgeable security experts are trained in not only installing your security systems, but also training there use. So whether you’re in need of CCTV surveillance, responsive fire alarms or secure burglar alarms, you can have faith in our products. 

2. Tailored & Bespoke Service 

We understand more than anyone the uniqueness and different factors that must be considered when it comes to security, which is why we tailor each of our projects to your individual needs and requirements. From budget, to scale, to location, our experts are on hand to answer any queries as well as advise and assist you. 

3. A ‘Secure’ Reputation 

You don’t become as established an outfit as us here at PFS security systems without being good at what you do. Since we were founded in 1989, we have continued to go from strength to strength, leading the way in the development and advancement of security systems and their implementation both domestically and commercially. But don’t take our word for it. Be sure to check out our website to find your nearest security specialists.