Forestry security buyer's guide 2024: How to protect your premises

DATATAG
CESAR 

RECENT years have seen a huge uptick in rural crime incidents, with the cost of rural crime rising by more than 40 per cent in the first quarter of 2023, with quad and ATV theft totalling £2.2 million in the previous year.

Shipping delays and the effects of COVID and Brexit are contributing to a rise in demand for both new and second-hand farm and forest machinery. As waiting lists grow and market values soar, thieves are seeing quads and ATVs as expensive, easily portable, hot-ticket items with a ready resale market in this country and abroad.

The Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023 Bill aimed at tackling quad bike and ATV theft is now law.

In 2023, the UK enacted the Act to combat the theft and resale of tools and equipment in trades, agriculture, and business sectors. The Act focuses on two main areas: sale requirements and record-keeping. It stipulates that certain equipment, particularly that used in agriculture or commercial activities, must have anti-theft devices and unique identifiers. Sellers of such equipment are also required to keep detailed records of their sales. Effective from January 20, 2024, this legislation aims to deter theft by making the resale of stolen goods more challenging, thereby protecting various industries from this prevalent issue.

The security landscape for all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and construction equipment has taken a significant leap forward with Datatag’s latest innovations in the CESAR Security Scheme, developed in partnership with the Construction Equipment Association (CEA). 

The unveiling of RAPID (Registered Assets Police Information Database) and the introduction of advanced ‘Ultra Tag’ RFID transponders are set to revolutionise the way construction and agricultural machinery are protected globally.

The ‘Ultra Tag’ RFID transponder represents a major advancement in security technology. Its robust design makes it immune to interrogation and compromise, effectively countering attempts at theft and tampering. 

The chip’s enhanced reading distance, a noteworthy improvement when used with a Datatag scanner, ensures superior tracking and monitoring of equipment.

Complementing the ‘Ultra Tag’ is the introduction of RAPID, a sophisticated web-based application that culminates a year of dedicated development. This platform integrates data from approximately 625,000 construction and agricultural machines into a single, easily accessible database. RAPID’s reach is extensive, enabling around 142,000 police officers in the UK and countless others globally to access detailed equipment data using just a smartphone. This global accessibility, stretching from Southend to South Africa, marks a significant stride in international asset security.

RAPID excels in providing a secure amalgamation of police, manufacturer, and insurance data. Law-enforcement officers can quickly ascertain the status of a machine by entering part of a vehicle identification number (VIN) or related identifiers, a feature crucial for the rapid identification and recovery of stolen machinery.

These innovations are integrated into the already successful CESAR scheme. CESAR ATV, leveraging Datatag’s state-of-the-art security marking technologies, offers an almost impenetrable identification layer that deters theft and aids recovery.

The CESAR scheme’s benefits extend beyond theft deterrence. It requires no annual fees and is supported by a 24/7 UK Secure Contact Centre. Over 625,000 machines are protected by CESAR, and its presence can lead to lower insurance premiums.

The CESAR database also enables quick police access, facilitating instant identification of stolen equipment.

www.cesarscheme.org

ATVTRAC

ATVTrac, the renowned agricultural asset tracker with a proven track record in recoveries, is now available to the forestry industry, providing a discreet yet effective solution to security tracking on all manner of equipment.

Launched over a decade ago, following the parent company’s experience and proven track record in motorcycle security, ATVTrac offers a dedicated security product, enabling owners of all types of machinery to have a live link to their machines 24/7, regardless of location.

Bringing updated security functions including GPS, GPRS and Radio Frequency, ATVTrac added new functions, including lone worker security (for machinery such as all-terrain vehicles), battery voltage alerts and service reminders too, offering more than just a security-focused product.

Thanks to the unit’s very small physical size, ATVTrac can be installed on virtually all types of machinery, from ATVs to Land Rovers to woodchippers, taking a simple 12 V feed combined with its own internal battery for smaller machinery applications too.

ATVTrac’s Rupert Archer-Smith added: “We’ve worked hard to make sure our device fits the needs of our customers, regardless of the size or type of machinery. Thanks to over a decade of experience working in the agriculture and plant sectors, we’ve been able to hone and enhance our product thanks to real-world on-the-ground customer use, allowing us to fully consider and develop ATVTrac in periphery sectors too, such as forestry, already proving its effectiveness out in the field.”

With location information available via a dedicated app and website 24/7, owners are able to keep a live track of all machinery with the added bonus of support from Securitas too, should a machine be stolen and need securing quickly.

And from 2023 onwards, ATVTrac also now offers a 0 per cent finance packag, allowing users to spread not only the cost of the physical unit, but subscription fees too.

ATVTrac enjoys official endorsement from many brands including Can-Am, Honda, Kawasaki, Polaris, Suzuki, Kymco, TGB, CFMoto, Corvus, Quadzilla and most recently Kioti and GreenMech.

For more information on ATVTrac, visit www.atvtrac.co.uk

DETERTECH
PID 360

UNAUTHORISED access to live work sites by members of the public creates significant health and safety issues for forestry professionals. The out-of-hours targeting of on-site machinery, tools and materials by organised criminal gangs also brings added cost, disruption and delays. 

DeterTech’s industry-leading solutions are widely deployed in forestry, agriculture and construction to address this challenge. Its extensive portfolio of crime intelligence, site security and forensic marking technologies seamlessly combine to predict, deter and detect trespass and theft activities. 

DeterTech’s experienced team will first conduct a site survey, providing a location-specific and intelligence-led threat assessment of the site’s most likely vulnerabilities. They will then develop a bespoke security plan to address these.

Possible solutions range from DeterTech’s industry-leading, rapidly deployable intrusion-detection camera – the PID 360 – to covert technology and forensic marking.

Known for its prominent visual appearance, 360° viewing angle and vocal warning system, the PID 360 deters thieves from accidentally or maliciously stumbling onto a site. Considered as one of the top crime deterrents in the country, the PID 360 unit is more commonly known as a dalek and is equally feared. Video from the units is monitored 24/7 in DeterTech’s state-of-the-art alarm-receiving centre, meaning any intrusion is quickly escalated to security teams or the police. 

Encased in 40 kg of armoured chassis, the PID 360 has the added benefit of being a completely wireless solution, thanks to its long-life batteries which can last up to four years on a single charge. The PID 360 has three 110 dB speakers that emit audio warnings when triggered. While most will be familiar with the booming Irish tone that sounds upon activation, the PID 360 can also warn off intruders in Welsh, Dutch, Flemish, and German. 

Alongside this, DeterTech’s unique forensic marking technology – SmartWater – ensures valuable assets can be easily identified and traced by the police. With a 100 per cent criminal conviction rate in contested court cases, it combines with the whole of the DeterTech security portfolio to create a powerful package that deters theft, reduces operational disruption and plays a pivotal role in jailing persistent offenders.

www.detertech.com

UWATCH
SMART CUBE 

RURAL areas with no mains power or Wi-Fi can leave forestry workers with very few options for the security of their valuable tools and equipment, either in their shed, on-site or in the van.

The uWatch cube offers a fully portable and instantly deployable solution offering real-time alerts to would-be thieves so you can prevent the crime from ever taking place.

The Smart Cube is not dependent on Wi-Fi or mains power. Using a roaming sim, the Cube can send real-time alerts direct to your smartphone when activated. Using several sensors – including PIR, shock and temperature – it can be configured for any number of applications, such as monitoring your allotment, shed, construction site, van, farm and many more. The Cube can be run from 3 x AA lithium batteries, a solar panel or from mains (where accessible), providing you with complete flexibility in terms of its installation.

The Smart Cube uses LoRa technology to connect with uWatch Tags to monitor doors, gates, or other areas you wish to secure, allowing you to monitor up to 20 at one time.

Thanks to its higher frequency over Bluetooth, our new LoRa tags can be used from 0.5 km to 2 km, offering even greater protection for rural areas and communities.

The uWatch cube has received Secured by Design accreditation and is currently being used by police forces around the UK and other partners like the National Trust to help combat crime.

To find out more about our range of cubes or discuss your application, please call a member of team on 01491 651229.

WILD VIEW CAMERAS 

WILD View Cameras, based in Wiltshire, has been supplying cameras and accessories for the purpose of security and surveillance for over 12 years, working with smallholders, woodland owners, farmers, country estates and fishing clubs as well as large organisations like Forestry England, Natural Resources Wales, the MoD and dozens of local authorities throughout the UK.

Equipment it has provided has been used to recover thousands of pounds of equipment and has led to dozens of successful prosecutions. The option of GDPR-compliant encryption of images is available on certain cameras.

The most popular trail camera for security applications is the compact Browning Dark Ops Pro X, which is just 11.5 x 8.3 x 6.4 cm yet features a 20 MP still-image quality and HD+ video quality. Incredibly, it runs off just 6 AA batteries. This camera has proven to be particularly good at capturing fine details like number plates both day and night.

Capable of being deployed for months on end, the cameras can be mounted and disguised in various ways using Wild View Cameras’ unique range of accessories to ensure maximum coverage and security. They can also be deployed as a visible deterrent by utilising steel security boxes and steel cable locks.

Besides the standard trail cameras, there are compact cellular options for instant picture notification, the option of live viewing and solar panel and battery systems to make the cameras potentially 100 per cent autonomous and perfect for remote surveillance in areas with limited or non-existent access to electricity and Wi-Fi connection.

To find out more about how trail cameras can help make your site secure, call Wild View Cameras for a no-obligation chat on 01225 703316, email hello@wildviewcameras.co.uk or visit www.wildviewcameras.co.uk.