As metal theft crime continues to rise across Lincolnshire, St Mary’s Church in Whaplode decided to take action to protect their lead roof.
As the Church is Grade 1 listed, care and consideration remained a top priority when designing the installation to ensure that the security system did not disturb or compromise any of the historical features of the Church.
System Details
The system comprises of nine completely wireless remote camera and detection modules which are fitted to the Church roof. The detectors incorporate a motion sensor, night vision digital camera and infrared illuminators which light up when triggered to ensure that the video footage has sufficient light for the images.
When the system is armed and the alarm is activated the corresponding camera records a 10 second clip of what caused the activation. This is then transmitted, via the mobile phone network, to the monitoring station where the operators can then act upon the video footage by either identifying it as a false alarm or calling the corresponding authority/keyholder. An internal sounder is also installed into the tower and it can be controlled by the monitoring station in the event of an intrusion.
The Church is situated in quite a secluded spot making it vulnerable to crime. It is also left unlocked a lot of the time so CCTV cameras with infrared lighting have been installed inside the Church to provide further protection; this is recorded locally.
A key advantage of this video verification CCTV system is that it reduces false alarms and ensures that keyholders will not have to attend the site blind to the fact that there may be intruders. It also overcomes the problem of intruders hiding on the roof and remaining undetected until the system has been reset.
GBSG director Neil Jackson said of the new system, “Due to an increase in enquiries from local Churches requesting security measures and the resulting surveys carried out onsite we developed the new Video Verification CCTV System.”
He continued, “The new system offers many additional benefits including quick installation, no cabling as it is completely wireless and it operates over the mobile phone network so does not require the installation of a telephone line, ensuring no installation damage to the building.”
