Regardless of intention, trespassing is an act that can lead to events that are more consequential – including theft, vandalism, and potential injury. How can proactive security help to deter trespassing so it doesn’t lead to more serious incidents?
Trespassers arrive on-site for a variety of reasons.
Whether it be a construction site, critical infrastructure facility, auto dealership, or commercial property – trespassing is a real and continuing problem at sites of all kinds across Canada. The Oxford dictionary defines trespassing as “a person entering someone’s land or property without permission”.
Trespassing occurs for a variety of reasons, some less serious than others – such as someone mistakenly walking onto a site, crossing through an area they don’t know is private property, or loitering in an area where it isn’t permitted. While these incidents are rather harmless, there are also those who trespass with the intention of committing theft or vandalism – entering onto a site by climbing over or cutting holes in perimeter fences, or finding other ways to illegally gain entry.
Whether the individual trespassing has nefarious intentions or not, trespassing is a crime that can also lead to serious injury, especially on hydro substations or construction sites that contain many hazards that can be harmful. Regardless of the intention, trespassing is a crime that must be taken seriously by site owners to ultimately avoid theft, vandalism, and liability.
When trespassing and loitering leads to theft and vandalism...
In June 2023, Police in Barrie, ON responded to trespassing and theft incident at an active construction site. Suspects trespassed onto the property and stole a diesel reversible plate tamper worth over $20,000. This was following a similar incident in May 2023 where two more tampers were stolen, valued at $20,000 each. Police believe the thieves had access to specialized equipment in order to lift the very heavy machinery. (1)
In September 2023, Willow River Centre, a new Queer and Indigenous-led resource centre in Kitchener, ON was a target for vandalism less than two weeks before it was scheduled to open to the public. Trespassers, who then became vandals, wrote hateful messages on the building and other structures nearby. This was serious blow to the Centre Directors, building owners and the local community, and illustrates how serious incidents of trespassing and vandalism can truly be. (2)
Trespassing can also result in serious injury.
In August 2020, trespassers at a hydro station in Nipigon, ON escaped critical injury after going to “extreme lengths” to enter the property. The trespassers ignored several warning signs, fences, and gates to access to access an area of water under a dam to swim and fish. After the incident, officials warned that things could have been much worse for the trespassers – the aerated water at the hydro station was less buoyant which could have led to sinking or drowning, as well as the risk of strong currents coming from the hydro station that could easily have swept the trespassers away. (3)
In July 2021, BC Hydro was looking to curb a new trend of individuals trying to capture risky “selfies” on their camera phones by trespassing at extremely dangerous hydro sites throughout British Columbia. Social media influencers, in the pursuit of online recognition and fame, often put themselves in dangerous situations to capture the perfect photo. A report revealed that there was a 200% increase of trespassing incidents in the area, including dams, reservoirs, and recreation sites as well as an increase of interference with electrical infrastructure, including climbing transmission towers and swimming in dangerous waters. It is estimated that 80,000 adults in B.C. have injured themselves while trying to take a photo or video for social media, often after illegally breaching perimeter fences to gain entry onto the property. (4)
In November 2021, Police in Terrace, BC reported that a quarter of all trespassing incidents on federally regulated railways resulted in serious injury or death. In many of the incidents, individuals were trying to cross the tracks from one side to another and were caught in the path of oncoming trains. Fencing had been used as a deterrence in the past, but trespassers often cut the fence line and gain entry regardless. The owners of the railways did admit they did not have security cameras installed on their rail lines, but said that if they did install the cameras as a deterrent, they would need video monitoring operators, or law enforcement to provide an immediate response. (5)
How can Proactive Security with Live Remote Video Monitoring help to deter trespassers and keep sites protected?
No Trespassing Signage is the first line of defense
The first line of defense to prevent trespassing are specialized ‘No Trespassing’ warning signage. This signage is placed at key entry points and around the perimeter fence to warn potential trespassers that the site is live monitored and if they set foot on the property, law enforcement will be dispatched to the scene to apprehend them.
Video Security Units capture trespassing in high-resolution
In order to deter trespassers, a site needs adequate video surveillance. Our Video Security Units are robust, modular, & able to adapt to the needs of any site. They are equipped with two stationary cameras that establish perimeter coverage & situational awareness, and accompanied by a PTZ (Pan-Tilt-Zoom) camera that can zoom in on the action in high resolution. Depending on the site, multiple Video Security Units can be setup to cover all the angles, leveraging the power of our proprietary LTE+ cellular platform that allows each unit to function independently while linking together to provide a solid and consistent security network.
IR Night Vision helps track trespassers in the dark
Trespassers thrive under the cover of night, using the darkness as a means to gain access to a multitude of properties when workers have gone home for the night or weekend. Leveraging infrared technology, we are able to bring trespassers into the light – even in the darkest conditions. This allows our Artificial Intelligence system & Monitoring team to detect them right from the moment they step foot onto a property – like a beacon shining in the night.
Artificial Intelligence detects trespassers quickly and accurately
Artificial intelligence has many practical applications in the world of security – and we leverage those applications on a daily basis to deter trespassers. Through our proprietary AI and machine learning, our Live Remote Monitoring team are able to make better and more accurate detections & discernments, and that means trespassers won’t get very far in their activities. If they trespass, our AI system will detect them and immediately alert our team to intervene & take action.
Live Remote Video Monitoring deters trespassing
When someone trespasses onto a site, they often think they are doing so in secrecy without anyone watching.
Our Live Remote Video Monitoring team act as the eyes and ears for a multitude of properties ranging from construction, commercial, recycling, and beyond. When they see an individual trespassing, they will immediately issue live and proactive deterrents to warn them they are being observed – including bright LED strobe lights that signal that the site is live monitored, and accompanied by loud, authoritative voice commands to warn them that they must desist in their actions. If trespassers continue on, law enforcement will be alerted and dispatched to the scene, if required.
Using Wireless Alarms to protect interior areas
Trespassers don’t just target exterior areas – they often seek to exploit areas on-site that aren’t as visible and easier to penetrate.
Our wireless alarm intrusion system, syncroDetect, can be deployed to provide an additional layer of protection to deter trespassers – integrating seamlessly with our Remote Video Monitoring service. By utilizing door & window contact sensors and indoor motion detection sensors to detect trespassers, they are no longer able to take advantage of these access points to a site for their own purposes. If there is a gap in video coverage due to lack of financial resources or infrastructure, syncroDetect can be the extra element that keeps sites free of trespassers and securely protected.
syncroReports provides a summary of every trespassing incident
Whether it is a serious incident or not, all instances of trespassing will be logged in our reporting platform, syncroReports. From there, our clients can view detailed Log Reports of what occurred, view snapshots and video footage, as well as get a complete picture of their site security. From the moment there is a trespasser & our Monitoring team deters them from acting, to the moment they leave the site – our clients will see it all.
Trespassing is a crime that will continue, whether nefarious or not. With proactive security and Live Remote Video Monitoring, we can help to deter trespassers and send them on their way – all in the interest of site protection and public safety.
Resources:
- “Multiple 1,000lb pieces of construction equipment stolen from Barrie site”, Kim Phillips, CTV News, June 8, 2023
- “Willow River Centre targeted by vandalism”, Stefanie Davis, CTV News Kitchener, September 25, 2023
- “Anglers trespassing at hydro station in Nipigon, Ont., escape ‘critical injury’, OPG officials say”, CBC News, August 20, 2020
- “B.C. Hydro reports rise in dangerous incidents as social-media users pursue risky selfies”, Craig Takeuchi, July 30, 2021
- “Terrace one of the worst location for railway trespassing deaths, injury in northern B.C.”, Ben Bogstie, Terrace Standard, November 5, 2021