CASE STUDY: LOCK, STOCK & ONE SMOKE MACHINE

The Client:
A wholesale distributor of salon and beauty products.

The Problem:
The site had been repeatedly targeted by armed robbers, who forced entry to the premises, threatened staff and made off with amounts of cash.

Our Brief:
The area manager contacted Nova Security and advised us of the problems they were having.

“We have been targeted by armed robbers on six occasions in the last two years alone. We need you to come up with a solution to protect our staff and assets”

The site has existing security comprising intruder alarm, CCTV and access control.

“The problem is that the robbers are obscuring their faces, which renders the CCTV almost useless, and they are just forcing their way through the front doors, so even the access control doesn’t stop them. By the time the Police arrive, the damage has already been done and the robbers have left the scene.”

The armed robberies were costing the company thousands. Aside from the cash taken during the robbery, there were additional costs arising from repair and replacement of doors and equipment damaged during the raids. Add this with loss of trade during repairs and cost of obtaining and training staff that leave as a result, and the cost to the company can quickly escalate.

“Obviously we don’t want our profits to be stolen, but our primary concern is the safety of our staff. They are extremely shaken after the incidents and we have had a number leave due to the threat of another incident.”

The Solution:
We quickly realised that we would have to design a bespoke system to meet the requirements of our client. It was decided that the system would comprise portable panic buttons that would trigger a series of events to give staff valuable minutes to secure themselves away from danger and await Police presence.

“The system’s really clever and is just what we needed. When we see someone trying to force entry we just press the panic button and, instantly, all the doors in reception close and lock. This should stop them getting any further, where the staff, stock and cash are. Then, within seconds, the reception fills with smoke. This should disorientate them and deter them from staying on the premises.”

Nova Security installed Automatic Door Closers, Magnetic Shear Locks and a Maglock to the reception internal doors. A Smoke cloak was installed to the Reception ceiling. The bespoke system controls were installed to the warehouse and integrated with the portable panic buttons.

The Verdict:
“We are delighted with the result. Nova Security understood our requirements and designed the system specifically for our situation. From start to finish, our experience with Nova Security was professional, pleasant and efficient.”

We were pleased to be given the challenge of designing a unique system for our client. Now we just hope that they never have to use it.

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