“Eye in the sky” for Tadhg O’Connor Ltd.
Newcastlewest Company deploys satellite security system from Netwatch
 

Tadhg O’Connor Ltd. one of County Limerick’s leading DIY and Building Supplies companies has deployed advanced new security technology, developed by Carlow company Netwatch, to prevent losses from vandalism and theft.

Tadhg O’Connor Ltd. has been based in Newcastlewest for 25 years and employs 45 people at its two branches. Having recently opened a second premises in the Desmond Business Park, the company decided that as the new site was in an area where there was little through-traffic at night, a review of security should be undertaken. The company’s original store is in a well-populated and well-lit area, and so was reasonably secure.

Following a review of traditional security methods available, the Netwatch system was recommended to Tadhg O’Connor by another business that had installed the system. Following a site analysis by the Netwatch team, the decision was made to install the satellite-based system at the new premises.

“As our new premises is on an industrial estate with very little through-traffic at night, we needed a security system that would prevent crime on our site. Traditional CCTV cameras only act as a deterrent because thieves know they are basically only being video-recorded while they are on the premises and that they can disguise themselves with scarves, peak caps or even balaclavas. So cameras alone do not stop intrusions taking place. A 24-hour manned security presence on the premises was too expensive. We needed a system which would meet our needs without the expense of a fulltime security presence”, says Noel Harnett, Financial Director of Tadhg O’Connor.

“We also wanted to be able to have a record of what was happening in the branch during the day, for example if someone walked out without paying for something, we would be able to identify them from the recorded footage. Netwatch fulfilled both these needs economically and efficiently”.

Carlow-based Netwatch is the first company in Ireland to use modern satellite and Internet –based technologies to provide remote visual monitoring security systems to businesses throughout the country. Netwatch is an intelligent security system, which allows the Netwatch command centre to watch in ‘real time’, any intrusion taking place at a premises and, more importantly, to speak directly to the criminals before they commit a crime.

When a break-in takes place, live pictures of the area where the security breach has occurred are sent to the command system. The command centre then speaks directly to the intruder, informing them that they are on private property and that the Gardaí have been called. Knowing that they are being watched and that the Gardaí have been notified is a huge deterrent – in 95% of cases recorded - the intruder leaves the premises without committing a crime. Because the control centre can check the premises first, false alarm calls are virtually eliminated, so Garda time isn’t wasted.

“We have had no serious security breaches since installing Netwatch. There is great peace of mind in knowing that the premises are under surveillance 24 hours a day. The fact that the system provides an immediate response is critical. Intervention from the Command Centre as an incident is happening means that we are more successful in preventing damage to, and loss of, equipment and stock. Another benefit of Netwatch is that if a customer inadvertently walks out of the store without paying for an item, we can check the video footage by date or by time”, says Noel Harnett.

“The Netwatch System also provides extra protection to our staff. If there is an incident in the shop, for example, the Netwatch Command Centre will keep the situation under surveillance and will monitor the person causing the disturbance, keeping the Gardaí informed of developments as they make their way to the scene. More importantly, if a manager has to respond to an alarm call in the middle of the night, the command centre will keep the premises under surveillance and will let us know when it is safe to enter the premises. Protection of staff is even more important to us then preventing loss of stock.”

“Tadhg O’Connor’s is typical of small businesses throughout the country who are faced with monetary losses through theft, vandalism, false insurance claims, and so on”, says David Walsh, Sales Director, Netwatch. “A recent report highlighted that almost one in two businesses (46%) has experienced crime in the past 12 months. The report estimated the average cost of crime to those businesses affected at €8,230. Interestingly, only 16% of businesses said they had incurred no direct expenses as a result of crime while the remaining 84% still had direct costs to pay despite higher insurance premiums”.

“All businesses are faced with stark choices when it comes to protecting their premises. The Netwatch System is truly cost-effective with a basic monitoring service costing as little as €12 a day – not much more than what you would pay for one hour of a security guard’s time”, he said. Prevention is the name of the game, as it is far cheaper financially and emotionally to prevent a crime than to solve one. With 9 out of 10 criminals leaving the premises before they commit the crime, Netwatch is unrivalled in this regard.”

“Having installed the Netwatch System we are very happy with its performance. We can dial into the system from our head office and check what is happening in the store. Netwatch provided a more effective 24-hour monitoring and security system than employing security guards and had a strong record of crime prevention. They provided a full site survey and agreed a specific proposal with us. The security system installed was specific to our needs and has been money well spent”, said Noel Harnett.