Police Scotland have created this document to provide advice to Business and Home owners during these unprecedented times.
Advice and information is changing daily as we navigate our way through the COVID-19 pandemic, so please ensure you only take information from trusted sources.
Please consider signing up for the Neighbourhood Watch Scotland Alert system to receive regular updates from the Police and partner agencies on what is happening in your area –
https://nwscotland.neighbourhoodalert.co.uk/
National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)
NCSC have launched the new Cyber Aware campaign promoting behaviours to mitigate cyber threat. The cross-governmental ‘Cyber Aware’ campaign, offers actionable advice for people to protect passwords, accounts and devices. You can find out more about what NCSC have launched recently here.https://www.ncsc.gov.uk This includes new guidance for individuals and organisations using online video conferencing.
Closed Premises/Venues that have been temporarily closed:
- Test your alarm, ensure it is monitored and fully operational
- Identify any vulnerable areas. Rectify these.
- Ensure service doors are closed and locked when not in use
- Make sure you have list of key holders who can be contacted in times of emergency.
- Consider moving high value items into secured stockrooms and out of view
- Ensure keys to the premises or other venues are not left inside and are instead with dedicated key holders.
- Consider timer switches or ensure sufficient lighting is left on at the premises/surrounding area.
- Ensure there are no combustible materials left in the proximity of the building such as packaging – consider the risk of fire-raising
- Review your CCTV to confirm it is operational, provides good quality images and is positioned to cover as much of the stores public and private areas. You may wish to consider a mobile phone app that allows connectivity and a vocal capacity to engage with any intruder
- Ensure that no cash is retained on the premises overnight (consider placing a note on your premises stating that no cash or valuables are kept overnight) or store monies in a security accredited safe bolted to the floor
Physical Protective Measures
- Secure by Design products – use security rated products where possible.
- Ensure all doors leading from public to staff arteries-loading areas etc are kept secure and monitored. – Laminated glass or security film that can be applied to existing glass to make it more resistant to a physical assault. Shutters and grilles, subject to planning regulations, may also be a consideration
- An insurance rated safe should be bolted to the floor. Anti-tamper sensors can be fitted to set off an alarm if attacked
- Consider use of anti-theft alarms on most desirable household item
- Fogging devices that activate as a result of an intruder activation may also be beneficial-you can’t steal what you can’t see
Targeting of works vans
- Best practice is to remove all valuables from any unoccupied work vehicle
- Vans are often targeted by thieves for the tools stored inside. If you have to leave tools in a van overnight, it’s a good idea to mark them clearly with your name / company name and address using paint pens and seal with a clear lacquer spray.
- Alternatively, you can use a variety of other property marking systems. Items that are clearly marked are less desirable and more difficult to sell on
- Consider using a lockable cabinet within your van to store tools – a number of security rated products are available.
- Small cameras are also designed to record inside vehicles.
- You can also take photographs of items of value, make a note of the serial numbers and consider registering them online at a property register site.
Securing Diesel in vehicles:
Ensure your vehicle is locked when unattended, consider installing anti-siphon devices.
OFTEC or the “Oil Firing Technical Association for the petroleum industry” offers advice and guidance for those who use and store oil at their premises.
There are certain rules and regulations that may apply to you and OFTEC will help clarify these for you. They can be reached at: www.oftec.org or by calling 0845 6585 080.
Building Sites
A building site with tools, materials, plants and other machinery lying about can be very inviting to a thief. The site can also be used as a route to break into adjacent premises. Here are a few simple tips to help keep your site more secure:
- Set up CCTV
- Fences or hoardings are effective and should be used whenever possible.
- Good security lighting
- Cash should not be kept on site when possible
- Machinery should be left in a well-lit part of the site with the keys removed.
- Fit wheel clamps and/or locking posts or consider an alarm.
- Park larger vehicles in front of access doors to prevent easy access.
- Security locks and ground fixings are great for extra security
- Keep a record of engine numbers chassis number, vehicle ID numbers etc.
- Mark all of your tools with a unique identification number, photograph them and
keep a record of it. - Store your tools in a secure area or take off site.
- Display a contact board outside the site at all times giving names and telephone numbers of staff who can easily be contacted to respond to any concerns of the police
- Take down scaffolds structure down.
- Stop unauthorised people from climbing up any structure by using sheet material, overhangs or other methods
- If necessary use scaffolding alarms.
Around your home
- Make sure you lock your home – this includes when you go to bed.
- Always set alarms and use security devices whenever possible.
- Also ensure you lock outbuildings, garages & sheds
- Remove keys from the internal locks of doors and, along with any other keys, store them out of sight.
- Make sure you utilise window locks and remove the keys from the locks and the area around the window.
- Ensure there is sufficient lighting around your home by using low level dusk to dawn lighting and also PIR (movement detection) lighting.
- Make sure your home looks occupied by using timer switches especially as the dark evenings approach.
- Close blinds when appropriate to ensure there is no line of sight into your home.
- Never leave anything of value in your garden.
- Do not leave items (spades, ladders, etc.) insecure that could be used top effect unauthorised entry into your home, vehicle or outbuilding.
- Lock all vehicles and keep the keys out of general view in your locked house.
- Never leave anything in sight in your car and remove all valuable items completely
- Park your car in a well-lit location and if possible have it the subject of movement detection lighting.
- Make sure you lock your garage, shed or outbuilding.
- All items in the garage shed or outbuilding which are of value or easily moved should be secured to the fabric of the building or other similar items.
- Any windows in the garage shed or outbuilding should be covered by a blind or a curtain and if light is not a major necessity they should be boarded up.
- Where up and over garage doors are used consider installing bolts and padlocks at the bottom of each side of the door. Padlocks can also be put through the runner rails at the top of the doors.
The Safer Communities, Safer Scotland booklet aims to bring together key security and safety advice in a handy and very usable A5 booklet.
It is the product of a wider Building Safer Communities partnership and contains a wide range of contributions from organisations such as Police Scotland, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks, amongst others. It is free to download at
https://www.neighbourhoodwatchscotland.co.uk/security-advice/our-safer-scotland-booklet/home
Further information can be found here: