27 February 2024 - Dale Jones
Featured in: Market Insights, Intrusion detection
Rural and residential crime is a major cause of concern for homeowners across the UK. According to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), in the year ending March 2023, there were 191,490 police recorded home burglaries across England and Wales, which equates to 525 home burglaries per day, with a house being burgled every 165 seconds.
On a regional level, the data also shows that the West Midlands is one of the worst affected areas, third on the list behind Greater Manchester and London, with an average of 43 residential burglaries per day which is a worrying one every 33 minutes. Homeowners are, understandably, becoming more concerned about protecting their property, their loved ones and their possessions.
This was the case for a resident in the village of Pedmore near Stourbridge, who needed the comfort and assurance that comes from a reliable security system to give them greater peace of mind.
Following a consultation with the owners and review of the property, a combination of award-winning PIR outdoor sensors and active Infrared (IR) beams from OPTEX was recommended and installed to provide comprehensive protection of the property and its perimeter.
OPTEX 90-degree VXS sensors and BXS curtain sensors have been installed on the approach and boundaries of the house to detect anyone attempting to get in from the rear or side of the property. Additionally, another series of OPTEX AX IR Beams have been installed in free standing 2m towers across the driveway to alert of anyone trespassing into the property grounds.
Crucially, the OPTEX outdoor sensors are tolerant of small animals and will not trigger if the owner’s cats or smaller dogs are in the detection area. This prevents false alarms from occurring and worrying the homeowners unnecessarily. Their detection capacity is also not affected by variable light, vegetation sway and changes in the weather making it ideal for the rural setting.
“Residential crime is a big concern for many across the UK, costing thousands in theft and damage to property, assets, and vehicles” says Dale Jones, Project Sales Manager – UK and Ireland at OPTEX.
“Highly accurate and reliable external detection is essential in rural environments. The earlier the detection, the better chance there is to prevent intrusion. Since installing the sensors and beams, feedback from the homeowners has been positive, with the solution working effectively to alert and deter anyone attempting to approach the property, giving them greater peace of mind at night and when they are away.”
