This article is from page 56 of the 2005-10-25 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 56 JPG
A SMART security system which allows security guards to speak to criminals about to commit a crime has been brought into play by a Clare firm.
John O’Dwyer, Clare’s biggest hardware company and a member of the National Hardware Group has bought in the Netwatch secu- rity technology system, to prevent losses from vandalism and theft at its premises in the Westgate Business Park in Ennis.
Since its inception in 2003, Net- watch, the remote visual monitoring security company, claims to have prevented nearly 800 crimes against 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 to speak directly to the criminals before they commit a oamnneles
John O’Dwyer has been in busi- ness for 21 years in Quilty, Miltown Malbay, and more recently in Ennis employs 44 people.
“Like many businesses, the com- pany has had its share of theft and vandalism over the years. Generally these have been break-ins to the com- pany’s premises where stock of con- siderable value is stored. The compa- ny previously protected the premises by traditional means, but due to the distance to the Ennis site from the headquarters, response time in the event of an alarm was too long,” a spokesman for Netwatch said.
‘Traditional security methods act as a deterrent, but they do not stop intrusions from taking place. A 24- hour security presence on the premis- es was too expensive but we needed a system that would give us the benefit of 24-hour protection without the cost. Since installing the Netwatch system almost two years ago, we have suffered no loss or damage at our Ennis site.”, said John O’ Dwyer, Managing Director of the hardwear
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“The new system installed, Net- watch, 1s an interactive system em- ploying satellite technologies which allow our premises to be watched 24-hours a day for a fraction of the cost of employing full-time security men and allows us to be aware of any attempted intrusions immediately. There have been occasions when
thieves have tried to gain access to our premises, which covers a 10,000 sq.ft. site, but the fact that the system provides an immediate response is critical. Intervention from the Com- mand Centre as an event is happen- ing means that we are successful in preventing acts of vandalism or theft occurring”, said John O’Dwyer.” The system can also help record
what happens iduring the day.
‘For example if someone walked O)ULMAY a LHe COLUL Mm oychYAn rca LO) mnLeseelelODNIToMAWYe would be able to identify them from the recorded footage,” said John.
When a break-in takes place, the Netwatch system sends live pic- tures of the area where the security breach has occurred to the command system. The command centre then
speaks directly to the intruder, in- forming them that they are on private property and that the Gardai have been called. “Knowing that they are being watched and that the Gardai have been notified is a huge deter- rent — in 99% of cases recorded the intruder leaves the premises without committing a crime,’ the Network spokesman said.