Chickens are coming home to Roost!

Kia Ora,

It really seems in the Western world at least the Chickens are coming home to Roost.

Through out Europe the Sovereign debt crisis is starting to have an effect at least for now in what has become known in the financial circles for some time as the PIIGS or Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece & Spain.

Bail outs & austerity measures followed by riots. Italy even got their riots in before as they known what is coming.

Britain & France ausiterity measures same result. Because everyone has not wanted to listen to the 'doom & gloom' predictions but as one financial commentator likes to say;
"Those that prepare for the worst only know the best."

Then you have JP Morgan been hounded for manipulating the silver market. One estimate is it has shorts on 3.3 billion ounces of silver. That is more than all that is available above ground. Depending on who you are reading or listening too at least three times more than is above ground.

To short that much means someone is selling that much. A short is where someone sells a derivative or share they don't own with the view to buying it back at a lower price because they think the market is about to go lower. First rule is never sell naked(or with something to cover the trade going the other way) word is they forgot the first rule.

Since they are now under investigation for the manipulation & a campaign has also started to bankrupt them through the silver market they have taken a hedge of buying 50 to 80% of the copper market (now reportedly possibly 90%) that is currently held in warehouses. A hedge is to cover your losses should a trade go the opposite way to what you expect.
Setting Boundaries with Your Adult Children: Six Steps to Hope and Healing for Struggling Parents
If so then it would mean the manipulation of the silver market is at an end once they can cover their losses. Though in the last few days a large amount of puts(options trade when you think the price will go down) have gone on silver at $15 which means someone expects silver to go lower or are hoping it will.

So if people think they have all this silver or gold & find out that it is not available what then?

Not to mention most will not be aware that you can no longer exchange those derivatives for actual physical gold or silver. It changed earlier this year & most people are not aware of that fact.

So that are two forms of the same Chickens coming home but there is a third which you have seen in the protests & riots in Europe.

That is the lack of boundaries for children growing up. There is no respect anymore & a belief that it is ok to attack those whose job is it to keep society from sliding into anarchy. Seems by having no boundaries the anarchy is arriving anyway.
Assertiveness/Boundary Setting: Restoring Limits
In the last week here in New Zealand teenagers have being involved in stealing vehicles, dangerous driving, drunken driving being killed by not been able to handle a vehicle, running from the police or accidents & attacking police officers. Not to mention armed robberies.

What is going to happen when the government has to impliment its austerity measures? So far all the protests here have been quite civil in nature.

Society has lost control.

The comment the other day was "well burglaries & crime will be up as it is school holidays." It has been like that for a few years now but right now it is an epidemic & the police do what they can under the law but as they found one teen just kept leaving home & stealing cars.


So all the out of control spending & use of bad debt over good debt coupled with lack of boundaries is resulting in the break down of society.

The Chickens are really coming home to Roost!

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Life's little messages!

Kia Ora,

Obviously I have missed life's big messages or I would be wildly rich & making a difference right now. But sometimes life has a way of sending messages to confirm what you have said.

So it happened yesterday. No sooner had I said those targeted little issues are connected to the chronically bad driving in this country in my previous post than I was nearly a victim of that chronically bad driving.

Where I am based is a road that used to have a much higher speed limit. It has now been lowered(for a few years actually) to 50kmh. Not that you would believe it as it is not uncommon for vehicles to use it as a drag strip & I am not just talking about the boy racers.

It means that exiting this site can be dangerous. On one end is a wide corner where you hear approaching vehicles brake heavily from one direction to be able to get around. The situation yesterday was as I exited with a vehicle just appearing at the corner I had to brake as a turning truck was taking longer than normal to get in. No problems if the vehicle at the corner was doing the speed limit.
Crashproof Your Kids: Make Your Teen a Safer, Smarter Driver
After checking my speed to avoid the truck then starting to continue I suddenly hear a horn been leant on & see this vehicle approaching very fast.

As usualy the reaction of the person was like I was at fault. As one occupant here says, now they just carry on in normal speed to emphasize the point of the speed limit. This I did & the vehicle which had been speeding continued to tail gate down the road. So after they turned off I went back & found their registration(rather distinctive vehicle) so it can be reported to the police.

Hopefully this will bring the 'revenue gathering' to our street. Though a constant action they take at one end of this area seems to have no effect on people.
Rules of the Road 2-Disc DVD Set: Interactive Driver's Ed Course
This is very topical at present here in New Zealand due to a bad weekend of road accidents resulting in deaths & in particular cycle deaths.

One programme to teach people about road rules was highlighted on TV last night with Invercargil having pre schoolers learning the rules & been given a high visability vest. A very early start to education on road rules.

But will it work?

When I cycle I wear a high visability vest, yet drivers still don't see you. As a driving writer said yesterday "NZ drivers only tend to look ten metres in front where as drivers overseas look or plan up to hundreds of metres in front. Something I have been told off for doing by a New Zealand passenger.
The Driving Book: Everything New Drivers Need to Know but Don't Know to Ask
It is always interesting how life sends these little messages as if to ram home a lesson or point. But like the police, when working security the first thing that comes to mind when people are breaking driving laws "what else are you doing or are up too?"

It is the little things that give you away.

As I recount often, I was once nearly hit by a bad driver whilst legally crossing the road. By reporting them to the police it transpired that first the vehicle wasn't supposed to be on the road, then the driver had outstanding fines & finally the two occupants when pulled over had just come from a burglary.

What lesson will life bring to my attention next?

http://foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Who to believe?

Kia Ora,

Post the Christchurch earthquake there were comments from the police that crime had dropped & even articles in the local media quoting that.

There was also claims by the police that looting was not widespread on the day of the wee shake.

This is all despite anecdotal evidence pointing to the opposite.

In the last few weeks the truth has come to light.

First there have been on going reports of those committing crimes on the day of the earthquake. It far outweighs the number originally quoted.

Then about a week ago a small article appeared saying burglaries in the three weeks following the earthquake had jumped 22% as empty homes had been targeted in particular. A few days later another article appeared about a recent burglary of a house where the occupants go elsewhere on the nights we experience a number of aftershocks.
Disaster: Hurricane Katrina and the Failure of Homeland Security
Now the fault here is not the police officer on the street, but those in command who rely on figures.

To enhance those figures the police when you ring will tend not to respond to suspicious activity as in the past(despite been encouraged too) or if you can not identify the people involved. It is becoming like Hong Kong where it used to be the unwritten rule that if they couldn't solve it within 48 hours they moved on to next crime.
Handbook to Practical Disaster Preparedness for the Family
I know from talking to experienced police officers they are very frustrated on no longer been allowed to police which means doing things that are not quantifiable. I suspect this all comes back to KPI's(Key Point Indicator) which have no place in a service such as policing or security. In fact I have yet to see a KPI in a business sense which actually reflects the reality on the shop floor. They actually hamper productivity not enhance it.

In the last few days a recntly retired experienced police officer has come to national attention for slamming the way road policing is carried out. Again his comments reflect what people feel that as opposed to targetting the real traffic problems they are targetting the areas which bump up the numbers & the revenue.

Though in saying that some of those targetted small issues just point to the chronically bad driving behaviour in this country.
Crisis Preparedness Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to Home Storage and Physical Survival
So who do you believe?

For me it is not those who are out of touch but those on the ground & my own gut feeling. Always been correct compared to the waffle that comes from ivory towers.

Crime is actually ballooning out of control in the country.

Another recent comment is the use of Mozart here in central Christchurch has impacted on crime. A reporter thought he would test this to be immediately challenged to hand over his lunch then witness a tussle between some teens.

For myself just yesterday in central Christchurch whilst talking to a retailer a person came up to purchase some goods then yelled to a woman to give him the keys to her car. His comments were he was there bringing in his mate to uplift his medication(looking at the person indicated it didn't take an Einstein to work out he was off his tree & his medication was obviously methadone) then to the woman he took the keys off "got to get them as she is a Tea leaf(cockney for thief) & if she gets caught like normal then won't be able to get home." She also showed signs of drug dependency & the store she went into was warned.

There might be less trouble with teens who hate the music so don't hang around, but actual crime is the same. Just there are less people in the centre of the city since the wee shake.

http://foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

What are the real Crime rates in New Zealand?

Kia Ora,

The NZ police have been recently releasing the crime rates in each district, but do they really show the real crime rates out there?

Frankly no & when pressed the police will admit that. For example the other day the police were talking about cannabis seizures & how the amount they seize is only a small proportion of that grown each year in New Zealand.

But at the end of the article is the most important part where it refers to how drug use is always featuring as a reason for crime.

Two days later though there were some interesting comments.

First was a headline first seen on the internet about the crime rate had fallen in Christchurch city.

When you read it though it is only talking about crime in the central city, not the city as a whole. Even then there is a comment about how the perception of the central city as dangerous is not reality. Perception is reality & most people get a feeling of danger in the central city. Not only that most crime is not reported.
Drugs, Society, and Human Behavior
As if to make that point in the local newspaper where that story was reproduced there were also other articles.

First three photo's of a brawl taking place near the central police station & in the background people of Christchurch doing the normal New Zealand thing & ignoring it as it has nothing to do with them.

This was in daylight. Most of the crime especially involving alcohol happens at night & more often than not is not reported or if it is as one person said when they did the reply they got was "what do you want us to do about it?"

If it is not reported it doesn't make the figures look bad. The police system has become a bureaucracy which must really rankle with those on the street who joined to make a difference. Between the system & the courts NZ Police must feel like they are getting no backing for the shitty job they do.
Hugs, Not Drugs T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirts, Medium
Another article the same day though warns of burlgars targeting empty homes after the earthquake here in Christchurch. Not just the damaged homes either.

Again there is comment though that there has been no rise in this type of crime since the earthquake just a change in focus.

Funny that as that is not word I am getting back from contacts in the NZ Security Industry here in Christchurch.

Also there is the comment from one burglary victim about how criminals seem to know police are busy. Being saying that for a while, in fact ever since the earthquake with the sudden rise again in boy racer activity. That started the night of the big quake & has slowly got back to levels at times seen before the wee shake.
Drugs and Society
Some of the items stolen though were asking to be stolen. Peole have still not learnt you do not leave items sitting unattended in a vehicle.

Some of the things I have seen left in vehicles is amazing & even more so when the vehicle has been insecure.

On security tasks we have had to warn people for leaving computers(desk top), laptops, passports, airline tickets, cheque books, any type of medication, sunglasses, cell phones & the list goes on. Often they also have left something in vehicle with their address so after they take the vehicle or items from the vehicle, their home might get a hurried visit as well.
Edge: Perspectives On Drug Free Culture
Then there was the small clipping with statistics regarding Crimestoppers the British scheme which has come to New Zealand which allows people to report crime anonymously after the fact usually.

Claim is it was a successful year with over 7200 calls. Police by their own count a few years back get 2.4 million calls a year but again it has been estimated up to 95% of crime is not reported. Not sure of the figure but it is known a lot of crime is not reported. You just happen to stumble across a lot as a security guard or police officer. Which then expose other previously unreported crime.
Drugs, Behavior, and Modern Society (6th Edition)
The idea of Crimestoppers is great but like policing these days tends only to be reacative not proactive.

It is getting to the stage to get the police to respond (even a former police officer joked about this the other day as they see it as a problem too) you have to do what someone in Britain did.

For those that are not aware this person rang the police & said "there is someone breaking into my garage/shed" reply was "sorry we have no one available."
They then rang back said "don't worry about it as I have just shot them" within minutes there were police everywhere & the burglar was caught. Police said "Thought you said you had shot him" their reply was "thought you said you had no one spare to respond."

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Will the Christchurch Earthquake change the New Zealand mindset?

Kia Ora,

Since I started this blog a common thread has been the New Zealand mindset to threats in particular terrorism.

Will that change now a disaster has hit? Frankly from what I am seeing no.

You are seeing people complaining of how the scientists have said consistantly that an aftershock of 6 is likely & that this was not the expected big one(earthquake) from the Alpine Fault line. In fact though many of us including myself thought that is what it was as we are been told a lot it is overdue.
Crisis Preparedness Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to Home Storage and Physical Survival
People say they were scared at the time & I have no doubt most were, but myself I had two thoughts. First was Wow didn't know a tilt slab building could flex so much this is going to fall over. The second was for my father, wider family & our Marae as they are all very close to the Alpine Fault(within 100's of metres). So I am very aware of what can happen & have always taken a keen interest in this.

Having Knowledge can help you overcome the fear.

Too many are in denial. We should be using that knowledge to ensure the rebuilds are stronger, not delaying because someone thinks the historical look of Christchurch will be changed.

A comment by a person helping in the aftermath in response to complaints about bad building standards, was the standards were not designed to save the buildings but lives which is what they did or words to that effect. This means all buildings in the quake zone should be checked to see if they will stand up to another large quake. I know this has been done at least one shopping mall & it was rated to stand up to a specific large quake larger than the one that occurred.

But most people in Christchurch outside those who have been helping or worst affected still are in a form of denial. Even those badly hit think that nothing worse can happen despite the fact no one died. It is something you find in security here in Christchurch. When selling burglar alarms the comment was made that the hardest person to sell an alarm too as they don't believe they need it anymore are those that have been burgled.

A sign in one area says "welcome to Baghdad" & when interviewed by Paul Holmes someone commented it was like "Baghdad on a bad day." In fact they don't even come close. The aftershocks have just been like Baghdad on a normal day.
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There is now a concern for the Rugby World Cup 2011 which has been raised, but again the comments are there is little likelyhood of terrorist attacks.

It is the same type of denial when after some of the recent earthquakes have come from a new epicentre in the old volcano that is now Lyttleton Harbour. Questions about the volcano have been dismissed by the experts as it has not been an active volcano for 5.8 million years. Thing is only about two weeks ago it was reported a volcano that had been extinct for a very long time(sorry can't recall the years but it was enough to make you think) erupted.

Just because something is not likely doesn't mean it won't happen.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Disaster Preparedness
So will there be a change in mindset?

I very much doubt it. A few more will take been ready for an earthquake seriously, many wll ditch their emergency kits within a year as they forget the whole thing. Most will figure it has happened once so will not happen again to them (despite there been a few who have been through two or three other quakes of similar magnitude in the city).

There is no difference there to the attitude of a likely terrorist attack here in New Zealand.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Potential Crime turned to good!

Kia Ora,

There has been a lot of good come out of the earthquake & one concerns a group & associated event that usually results in criminal activity.

That Event is the infamous Undie 500 & the group that organizes it ENSOC.
A Primmer for Diaster Recovery Planning in an It Environment (Praeger Series in Political Communication)
Instead of going ahead with the event, this year to a undisclosed Canterbury location, ENSOC have decided to use the money set aside for it to provide food & fuel to those helping in the recovery.

Their members have decided to lend their hand to the clean up during their down time from University studies.

The sergeant in charge of the police alcohol enforcement team has just come on the radio as I write this to praise ENSOC & I concur. Considering all the bad publicity due to crime the event has generated, this was a good decision much appreciated by those badly hit.

In the meantime a comment has come in from Justin who is working in the NZ Security industry here in Christchurch & he highlights an issue.

Do you call the police when they have so much else on? I would record then report. Even if the police can not make it, they have a record for follow up.

Another point Justin makes is how little the media has made of the contribution of the private security industry.

Justin is right. There are some very long hours been done by the industry at times in very dangerous areas. Being injured prior to the quake myself it has been frustrating not been able to assist. When I did to give someone some relief as they had not had sleep in over 40 hours I got a bollocking from the bureaucrats. There are times for rules & time to bend them especially as in this case there was little threat to re injure. As all those in private security will be aware there are a lot of very tired people in the industry right now & if someone like me can give them a rest then all the good.

But as usual private security or the security guard on the ground is an invisable person. There when you want them, but ignored the rest of the time.
Frauds, Myths, and Mysteries: Science and Pseudoscience in Archaeology
In the mean time with all the good going on there are others still committing crime. One that has just been notified is allegedly there are bogus insurance assessors going around using it as a cover to do later burglaries. Now at this stage that is not confirmed but similar activities have happened in the past. There is no reason to think it won't happen here unfortunately.

Just keep your wits about you.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Unusual ways Issues have presented post Earthquake!

Kia Ora,

Well again due to the high standards of the building codes in New Zealand the Christchurch Earthquake have presented in unusual ways new twists on normal ones.

First there is the issue of what here in New Zealand is known as rubber necking. Not the game but people driving around to see what the damage is as they didn't suffer that badly.

People not in the quake zone might think everything is destroyed here in Christchurch. Actually though it was an experience & a half, even for someone who has been close to a suicide bombing or two, the major damage is in pockets. That in the centre of the city in particular is mainly due to older buildings that haven't yet received earthquake strengthening. Other areas is due to high liquifaction of the soils. Though continuing largish aftershocks (we have just had two as I wrote that) have damaged buildings even in good areas or of more recent construction.

It has meant that many are in denial that there was any major damage or just want to have a look.

This has been aggrevating for those in the worst affected areas who are trying to clean up & see if there is any chance of rebuilding their lives. There is a good possibility that tempers could lead to physical confrontations.
IT Disaster Recovery Planning For Dummies
The next issue comes also from the fact that despite the devastation the building code has done its job & though property has been destroyed no lives have been lost. The similar earthquake in Haiti resulted in over 250,000 dead.

On going aftershocks & even new epicentres triggered by the initial quake have had an effect on the mental well being of many with in the city. Normally people are too concerned about survival in the first week. Here in Christchurch so much good effort has gone in despite the rubber neckers, that quite quickly normal services have been able to be restored to the majority of the city.

In the country areas farmers have just got on with the life of farming ensuring their animals are cared for.

But even those living in undamaged areas have had enough of the constant aftershocks & mentally they can no longer deal with the not knowing if the next one is another big one.

So People are leaving in larger numbers by the day. It is a sign for the scum to start burglaries in particular in the worst affected areas.

A former army comrade posted an idea for a sign that he thought would be good & anecdotal evidence is that people are now using it. "You loot we shoot".
The Disaster Recovery Handbook: A Step-by-Step Plan to Ensure Business Continuity and Protect Vital Operations, Facilities, and Assets
Then we have the idiot brigade in particular the boy racers, whom even on Saturday night thought since all the police were tied up doing such good work that they would wreck havoc in their normal manner.

There are also the scammers who are already taking advantage of tired & stressed people. Some of us due to our training & life experience thrive in these conditions, but most are so stressed that they take what they think is geniune help to only find they have been hit another body blow.
Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Planning for IT Professionals
To commit crimes at times like these is the lowest of the low. In particular considering how lucky Christchurch really is & that is help at hand.

Most places in the world would not of come out this well off & that has changed the dynamics a little. A 7.1 earthquake & within six days, yes a lot of buildings are going to have to be replaced some jobs lost, but to have no deaths & the majority of services restored is probably the best result you could want.

But by been so lucky it has created its own issues with denial, mentally & in the commision of crime.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Security Issues after the Earthquake!

Kia Ora,

During the night some very big after shocks struck Christchurch causing more damage & the evacuation of one of the designated evacuation centres. Then to cheer us up they tell us that it is still likely that an after shock of around 6 on the richter scale is likely to hit. A lot of people are living on their nerves.

But there are still security issues & were some that had an impact on security immediately.

A letter to the editor yesterday reminded me of my own experience immediately post the main quake. The emergency call system (111 here in New Zealand) failed. Yet I heard a spokesman for the company that provides it saying they had had no issues.

I was trying to call the fire brigade as there appeared to be a fire in street nearby. Working in the NZ Security Industry over the years though I have learnt to have backup numbers to the police communications centre as 111 can be overloaded. It took time but I got through.

The letter writer was trying to ring Ambulance services for someone with a major bleed & in the end had to move that person to the central police station where they were transported to Hospital.

For Security guards the issue is having a backup plan if requiring 111 as security is likely to be often first on the scene of many incidents.
Disaster Recovery
The next issue for the NZ Security Industry is that of alarms & having local call centres.

First the alarms. With the first quakes & the on going after shocks many alarms have been turned off. How do we know? Because there are less been activated with each shock. There were so many going off straight after the quake that there is no way security would of ever been able to respond too them all. They may of come up with a plan to work their way through as many as they could. Luckily many though, due to noise control requirements reset themselves.

Unfortunately the criminals realize this too & there are a number of burglaries now been committed, some to houses that have been evacuated.

The call centre issue is different. Whilst having a central call centre in one location can be cost effective it can also be a hinderance. In normal times we have had issues with call centre operators trying to send us to another city, not realizing where we were.

A local centre would of been aware immediately of local issues. In saying that the centres also have to have back up systems so they can relocate if required.
Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Planning for IT Professionals
Another issue that I have raised in the past when working security is the vehicles & uniforms used.

Companies have said in the past that corporate image was more important that practical considerations. So patrols are to be in corporate approaved vehicles. Corporate vehicles are no good in a situation like we have now & that needs to be factored into company thinking.

Where as diesel 4WD (SUV) vehicles have an advantage. One they can traverse difficult to negotiate ground. Next been diesel they go further on a tank of fuel in the event it is major event & fuel is out or difficult to access. The other major factor I look at is a lesson from Iraq. Petrol & liquid gas vehicles burn well, diesel is less likely to ignite instantly.

Having security patrols on the ground is even more important in the aftermath of a disaster than normal times as there is a criminal element that will try to take advantage. You can bet that if they don't have the vehicles to do the job, they will soon get them.

Uniforms present some similar issues as overalls are more likely to be of cotton so therefore have some fire resistant, where as a corporate shirt, trousers & ties are usually more likely to be flammable & don't provide the protection to a greater part of the body.

You will hope that in future planning from now on security will take these issues into account. It might of been 16,000 years since this particular fault ruptured (due to the nature of the Canterbury plains make up it was why no one knew it was there), but it doesn't mean it will wait that long again & that is hasn't put stress on another faultline.
The Disaster Recovery Handbook: A Step-by-Step Plan to Ensure Business Continuity and Protect Vital Operations, Facilities, and Assets
The good part all the way through though has been the good stories of people just helping or offering help.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Why are some criminals so Dumb?

Kia Ora,

Talking to an ex army mate today & he is forever saying there is not the crime around I say as he never sees it. Then as we are talking happens one of those incidents that just make your day.

Two individuals show up on their bicycles across the road, but have their helmets strapped to their bikes. Then they go through the big look around to see if anybody is watching, just they don't see people inside buildings.
Crime and Punishment (Signet Classics)
Thinking that no one is watching they lift their bicycles across a fence onto private land then scoot across to another area of private land,& start ferreting around all the time keeping an eye to see if someone is coming or watching.

At that time though we were talking to police & keeping them updated.

They suddenly appeared to be leaving down the first part of private land, but actually were only stashing their push bikes & back packs before heading back to uplift a large item, which they hurried back to their bikes to begin breaking down, thinking they were unobserved & out of sight.

That was until the police dog unit arrived on site, followed by a patrol car. These were not kids & from a grouping that were easily idenitfiable.

Even the police could not believe these two had attempted to commit the crime in broad daylight in the most open part of the area.

My mate was flaberghasted at them been so stupid. But like I said to him "It's happening all the time, everywhere. You just have to be aware of it."

But these two would have to qualify for a nomination to the worlds dumbest criminals.
The Mythology of Crime and Criminal Justice
In the meantime more details have emerged from the death in the chemist shop. The owner saying he was surprised that after the search the burglar emerged from hiding. He has also criticized police response to Chemist break ins these days.

For the police though, as frustrating as it is which you have something suspicious or crime in your sights, it comes back to lack of resources & manpower.

Again there was the on going debate of police pursuits. Since it is odds on that the people running have been involved in other crime the police have no option but to chase. It doesn't matter if they chase or not, if there is an accident from the poor driving which is more than likely, then it eats up more valuable resources.
In Their Own Words: Criminals on Crime
As was reported the resulting deaths from Thursday night did not stop another four chases occuring last night within Christchurch city. That might not seem a lot to people overseas, but as a senior police officer mentioned this is in a country that used to get one high speed chase every two years.

In fact I could hear the boy racers drag racing at times down one of the two main roads nearby last night. There always had to be a reaction. Biggest problem is New Zealand driving is some of the worst I have seen in the world. Put high powered cars together with people with poor skills (no matter what they think, their skills are poor generally) then it is an accident waiting to happen if police are involved or not.
Media, Crime, and Criminal Justice: Images, Realities and Policies (Wadsworth Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice)
But then those drivers are as bright as our two friends with their daylight burglary. Idiots one & all.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

What is ill informed comment?

Kia Ora,

Over the last day there have been many reports on the incident I wrote of in the last blog. Many of them have been far off the mark in accuracy & others just pie in the sky.

The early reports stated that the security guard had found a body on responding to the alarm which was corrected by a police release.

Last night one media outlet claimed security had missed the intruder, when police have not released details as investigation is on going.
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So what is the difference between some of that & what someone like me in this blog make statements about incidents.

Experience!

As I said in yesterday's blog, it is common for burglars to set off an alarm then return after they think everyone has left. In this case there is a large hole in the rear wall of the building, so experience tells me that it is likely once the alarm activated. The burglar has exited, watched the security patrol leave then waited sometime before re entering, not realizing that the key holder is still on site.

Burglars I have caught do not like confrontation, although when drugs are involved it changes the dynamics.
CompTIA Security+ Deluxe Study Guide: SY0-201
Could of the key holder & security guard missed the burglar?

Yes! As I pointed out yesterday, though the time period between alarm & call for police would tend to support the returning scenario.

But where you can find a burglar hiding would astound people & no matter how thorough a search can miss someone. When you talk to firemen about where they have found people in a burning building (in cupboards, head in toilet etc) apart from the toilet pose within the NZ Security Industry you will hear stories of similar places used.

One that springs to mind is a security guard arriving at an alarm to find nothing, but as they were leaving noticed something odd with a panel of an advertising hoarding.

So they left, but doubled back to observe.

After about five minutes suddenly the panel moved out & out slide two burglars dressed in wetsuits(in an oviously failed attempt to not set off sensors)who suddenly found themselves faced with security & police.

It could of been easily missed.
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So there is a difference between sensational style media coverage with no view to facts or experience & opinions based on experience in the industry.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Threats can come from anywhere!

Kia Ora,

Early this morning New Zealand time a burglar alarm activated. The key holder responded once a security guard informed them of a break in. Together they entered & searched the premises but found nothing, upon which the security guard left.

Shortly after the Key holder was confronted by a male & a scuffle resulted. The male has died as a result.
Skylink SC-1000 Complete Wireless Alarm System, Off-White
Up until the last paragraph that action takes place many times each night in New Zealand alone.

Upon discovery of a break the guard has waited for the key holder. Depending on the instructions left with the monitoring company often police will not be called. Although in this case it been a Chemist store, police should of really been informed immediately on finding of a break.

It is here the first threats have to be considered. Drug addicts are a likely suspect & on any break no one should enter without back up. Hence the guard waited to escort the key holder.
Lorex LW2702 7-Inch LCD Quad Digital Wireless Surveillance System
Together they carried out a search with no result. One problem with two people is unless they are both on same wavelength areas can be missed.

One good team I often work with through subcontract work stick to the basic's year in, year out where each person has their own system, but each can be relied on to cover all nooks & cranny's in their assigned area.

I know of one guard who could not find a sign of a break on arrival, so entered on two alarm activations only to find the burglar holding on for dear life in the rafters of a store room just by chance on the second visit.

Now we still don't know what has happened in this incident that resulted in the death.

There are two scenario's. One the person was missed in the search.

The other which I would think is most likely & have seen it on several occassions, where a break happens, security & key holder respond, check the place out, usually the key holder remains to summon someone to fix break &/or clean up then leaves. On one occassion they could get no one in so altered the camera's & left.

When the burglar thinks that no one is on site they again enter the premises(often this happens several times) to carryout the burglary( on the occassion alluded to above there was some very good footage of the people at the bus stop on the first activation,driving a car up & climbing through the already broken window).
Security Awareness: Applying Practical Security in Your World
At all times there is a threat & it can come from any direction. It can be on an alarm activation or just on a routine check as a mate found out when he was hit by a jemmy bar over the head.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Tackling Crime. The messages are confusing!

Kia Ora,

Tackling Crime can be confusing when the messages given out are.

Yesterday was a classic case.

Was reading 'The Press' & there is an article claiming burglaries in a part of Christchurch are falling. More like a fall in reported burglaries as the police don't show up or if you have a fax they send you a form to fill in.

So people just don't report a burglary. It is not uncommon for the police to be calling for people to identify items they believe taken in burglaries. Residents of one area were quoted recently as saying "well it wasn't major & we didn't think anyone would show up" or words to that effect.

The report goes onto say reporting suspicious activity is key to cutting burglaries. I agree, but when you do it you get the third degree & no one shows up.

For instance the night I was attacked recently, a few minutes earlier I was able to get footage of two persons running from the vicinity of a business premises after hearing some noises. They then jumped into a hidden vehicle. Police comms were called with registration number of suspicious vehicle as did not see them on site.

But experience told me that the likelyhood of them having been on site committing crime, since there were car wrecks there & their vehicle was a boy racer type, was pretty good.

But the person I got was deliberately slowing things down & treating me like I was the criminal. How can the police on the street do their job effectively if they are not getting the support?

Reporting suspicious activity is the key element of the new service launched under Foxhound Security Ltd. This was because such a large amount of crime is not reported. In fact one media outlet once placed it at 95% of crime & 96% of violent crime is not reported in New Zealand.

By impacting on suspicious activity, you impact on crime & this has been proven time & again by those of us who actually provide security. Unfortunately within the NZ Security Industry that is few & far between especially when you are told not to provide it by the majority of the industry.
Designing Safer Communities: A Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Handbook
To add to the confusion yesterday on talkbackzb I heard part of a conversation with what appeared to be someone promoting neighbourhood support. Just from what I heard the message for the same area that the article focussed on was totally opposite of what was in the article.

Then today the message that an area nearby is getting hit hard with thefts from vehicles. This is a common pattern, when the police are targeting burglaries & making an impact, the criminal elements move onto vehicles.

That is the idea of the new service as it targets anything suspicious. Just another aid to the police.

Only issue is altogether NZ Police, the NZ Security Industry & groups like neighbourhood support all need to be on the same message.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz