The most wonderful time of the year…for theft

With Christmas coming up, the weather is getting warmer, the days are getting longer and people are starting to get excited about the holidays – but unfortunately, so are the opportunistic criminals who use this time of year to target empty job sites and unprotected assets.

As work slows down and construction sites are left unprotected over the Christmas and New Year season, it’s important to secure critical assets from theft or vandalism. This time coincides with school, university and work holidays, and hot nights – and higher temperatures coincide with more aggressive and risk-taking behaviour. As the saying goes, ‘idle hands are the devil’s work’. It all comes together to result in a spike in crime and anti-social behaviour through summer.

But surveillance isn’t just about installing cameras to record incidents and respond after the fact. With advanced technology, businesses can change their approach from retroactive to preventative by incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) and active deterrence, powered by renewable energy.

Securing critical assets is about using technology that can not only sense an intruder, but also act before they enter the premises in the first place.

Creating a solution, not just a product

For Spectur, developing surveillance platforms isn’t just about creating the best product, it’s about understanding the current infrastructure landscape to create much-needed security solutions.

Managing Director at Spectur, Gerard Dyson, said most surveillance technology companies only focus on offering cameras and neglect to consider what else goes into a comprehensive security system.

“Other companies are not looking at the power system, the telecommunication system, or the pole system, or how it’s installed, moved and integrated together. They don’t provide a solution, they provide an ingredient,” Dr Dyson said.

“Spectur is a solutions company. There’s no one else in this space that creates both a product and solution and makes it available for sale.”

While traditional systems can only sense or record potential and actual threats, Spectur surveillance systems use AI, cloud and edge computing to identify threats and take action to prevent thefts or damage to property before it happens.

Spectur solutions utilise advanced technology to make sure surveillance systems can sense, think and act. Cameras can monitor and detect threats, but it’s the AI and cloud technology which can analyse those threats.

By interpreting images and recognising objects, Spectur systems can minimise false alarms  while also being able to take appropriate action for varying threats, such as sounding an audio alarm, activating a floodlight or sending out alerts. Even if personnel are away on holidays, the system can effectively prevent damage and theft without relying on someone to be there on the ground.

Sustainable and remote surveillance

Having an automated surveillance system can particularly help critical assets in remote locations, where expensive security guards or “no security at all” are the only options during the holidays.

For many industries or businesses, there are situations where surveillance is not possible because the location is too remote or there is no power connection for a traditional camera system.

But Spectur systems are able to function in remote locations because the platforms are entirely wireless and solar-powered. Each platform, consisting of up to four cameras, can run up to five days of fully overcast conditions, meaning they are perfect for off-the-grid locations.

This can also allow for cameras to be placed on the perimeter of the property, rather than outside or inside the building, which can prevent intruders from getting onto a property in the first place, creating a preventative rather than retroactive approach.

Instead of spreading human resources thin, utilities and businesses can go away on holiday rest-assured that there is an automatic and responsive system in place that doesn’t even give criminals a chance to scale the fence.

Australian-owned and developed

Theft isn’t always physical objects, sometimes it’s data breaches and servers getting hacked. For Australian utilities, using technology and software made and owned within Australia means sensitive data and critical assets are protected from potential cybersecurity risks.

All of Spectur’s hardware and software is designed, developed and coded in Australia while adhering to the highest data security standards.

“We design our electronics and we write our own software. We build this from the bottom up rather than trying to cobble together someone else’s technology,” Dr Dyson said.

Storing data on secure Australian cloud servers prevents data leaks or security breaches that come with routing data through foreign servers, which is crucial for government and industry clients.

Setting up a surveillance system that is able to protect data, footage and sensitive information for critical assets over the holidays means personnel can meet their duty of care to the public and their staff even when they’re away.

Peace of mind this holiday season

There’s no need to leave critical assets or construction sites unprotected over the holidays when Spectur’s surveillance technology offers peace of mind for utilities and businesses.

Having a reliable security system for assets in remote locations or sites left unattended for weeks requires more than just setting up the best cameras on the market. It is just as important to employ technology that can analyse and act on recorded images, all while protecting such data from breaches with encrypted servers.

This Christmas, don’t let the criminals take advantage of the holiday season.

For more information on using Spectur’s smart solutions to enhance community safety, download our whitepaper Sense, think, act: how smart technology is making communities safer hereor call 1300 802 960 and talk to our team about finding the right solution for your unique onsite challenges.