Theft of Metals
There has been a recent spate of thefts from churches in the UK, and more locally there have been several incidents in the north east of Scotland.
There are several measures which can be considered to deter metal theft attacks including but not limited to:
1) Make theft more difficult by removing any easy access to building roofs, such as water butts, waste bins and tall trees located near to the building. Remember to get any necessary approval for tree cutting eg from the local authority before works starts.
2) Store ladders in a secure place.
3) Keep any gates locked and restrict vehicular access to the site. Remove any easy means of transporting stolen goods, such as wheelbarrows and wheelie bins, to a secure place.
4) Maximise surveillance levels, including cutting back tall trees and vegetation which could otherwise provide a screen to hide criminal activities. Remember to get any necessary approval for tree cutting.
5) Carry out regular checks of roofs so any theft if roofing materials is discovered before it rains and water enters the building causing further damage
6) Encourage members of the local community to keep a vigilant eye on the building and to report any suspicious, particularly the unexpected arrival of workmen at the property immediately to the police. This could include displaying a warning notice asking the public to contact the police if they see vans or workmen around the building between 6pm and 8am.
7) Apply anti climb paint to drain pipes and roof guttering to restrict access to roofing. The paint should not be applied below a height of 2 metres and warning notices should be displayed prominently.
8) Protect the lower section of lightning conductor ribbons using a metal cage or sheath securely fixed to the building fabric.
9) Consider installing security lighting, particularly at roof level where metal roof coverings are present. Check if consent is needed to do this.
10) Security mark metal goods. "Smartwater," a security marking product which forensically links thieves to crimes scenes, is being successfully used to combat the theft of metals. Smartwater can be used on properties exposed to the elements, such as lead roofs, without degradation of the marking, and doesn't damage items to which it is applied. For further details please read the Smartwater website (at www.smartwater.com). (We are in early stage discussions with Ecclesiastical Insurance Group with whom we may be able to agree a discount to purchase this product. We understand the standard retail price is approx £400 per litre which we are advised is usually sufficient for a church of "average" size.)
11) Consider installing CCTV.
12) Consider installing an intruder alarm protection to external roof areas
13) Consider precautions when erecting scaffolding
Please note that the COSIC Scheme in line with many other non residential property insurance policies does not cover theft from the Buildings. Should you have any queries please contact our office.