Why Rural Security Differs From Towns & Cities

Living in rural or country settings can be an idyllic way of life.

Many people dream of escaping the hustle and bustle of city life but few expect the countryside would be a less secure place than an urban environment.

In this blog, we’ll discuss how threats change based on the settings, why rural locations are easier targets and what security systems are more effective in large, expansive spaces.

The Department for Environmental Food & Rural Affairs has compiled a very interesting report on the crime statistics in rural England during 2021 which can be found here.

It’s important to understand why countryside homes, farms and estates are an easier target and what steps can be taken to stop threats from escalating. We’re rural security experts and we’ll share some useful information to keep you safe.

Why Are Rural Locations An Easier Target Than Urban Areas?

To put this simply, it’s far easier to monitor and protect a small area, even when it’s compared to an area which is densely populated. The larger the area that requires protection, the more difficulty you will have finding effective security measures.

Cities and towns have more people which will raise the risks of crime in general but it can also mean that there is a higher likelihood of potential witnesses and intervention to stop a crime from happening. Rural locations will be far more remote with a lesser chance of neighbours or passers-by seeing a crime in progress and doing anything to stop it.

Whilst cities and towns certainly have more criminal activity occur, it will often be caught on camera, witnessed by individuals or result from alcohol or drug-motivated criminals. Many urban crimes are the result of opportunistic behaviour that tends to be based on impulse or dependency issues.

The fact is, statistically, more crime will always occur in more densely populated areas. However, the types of crime will greatly differ and arguably, rural locations would potentially be easier to protect if the correct security measures are in place. We’ll come to those in a moment.

Monitoring and Mindfulness:

Rural locations can be much harder to monitor.

Access to certain areas is often more difficult and requires some preparation on the criminal’s part. But rewards are often much greater; vehicles, tractors, machinery, tools, livestock and even solar panels make ideal targets for career criminals. They provide a much greater risk versus reward compared to many city and town targets, whilst also offering very little in the way of deterrents or protective measures in a rural setting.

Remote locations are more viable targets throughout the night and are often unattended or improperly secured during daylight hours. How many times do farmers leave their yards accessible whilst they are out working and how secure is their equipment when stored overnight?

When you have a larger area to protect and little in the way of deterrents, it seems obvious that a different approach to protection must be adopted.

Being mindful of things like locking out buildings and properly securing your property will only go so far. Security is only effective when it intervenes and creates some way of stopping a crime from escalating.

Disturbing Criminals In The Act Can Stop Them

We should talk about real-time monitoring and response times.

Many crimes can be averted by some form of intervention. Be this an auto-response security measure (including lighting, alarms, sirens or beacons) or human elements such as security staff or property owners.

Rural locations are, generally, more difficult to secure due to their remote nature and the lower local infrastructure. This means that criminals are freer to carry out crimes with a much lower chance of being caught. Fewer people and police resources make them less likely to be disturbed in the act.

Expansive areas make monitoring more difficult and if a threat is detected there will be a much longer response time from property owners, security personnel or local authorities.

But it does not have to be that way.

Basic security will often be a suitable deterrent in an urban location whereas more advanced and reliable systems are required to cover rural areas. We’ll discuss some of the potential solutions to this problem…

Assessing Is Key To Effective Security For Rural Locations:

Before proposing what the most effective security solution is, we need to survey, in detail, the full area that requires protection. This can be done using a combination of satellite imagery, existing OS maps, deeds and a manual walk, drive or drone flight of the perimeter.

You should look at:

• All entry and exit points
• Areas accessible to vehicles
• Areas only accessible on foot
• Where any fencing exists
• What type of fencing is in place
• What existing security measures are already installed
• What the terrain consists of
• Pay attention to open ground, woodland or fenced-off areas
• If there are obstructions that make line-of-sight difficult
• Are any restrictions in place with the local authority?
• Understand typical weather patterns to ensure stable camera feeds, where applicable
• What is the power infrastructure?
• Can eco-friendly solutions be used?
• How would a criminal approach a crime if they were to attempt it?
• How would they get away?
• What tools may be required?
• What parts of the property would be most likely targeted?
• What are the key items/areas that will need robust protection?

You should always consider all the factors at play before investing in any form of security.

People tend to look at the most basic and cost-effective options which do very little in terms of protection and will often be rendered ineffective by things like inclement weather conditions or poor lighting. This is certainly true of most basic CCTV systems.

Installing The Correct System For Your Needs:

Once you have a good idea of the areas which need to be secured, you can look at the options.

No single security system is perfect for all environments, so you should look, potentially, at multiple systems, each suited to a specific task in a specific area. These can then be integrated using ISS software. This effectively allows all security measures in place to function as one unit.

For example, you may have sensors on your boundary which detect vibrations or movement. This in turn triggers advanced CCTV to focus on that location. A notification and a live feed will alert the necessary people or security staff.

At the same time, an auto-response system may have triggered lighting, sirens, alarms or beacons to make the intruder aware that they have been detected. This increases the chances of scaring them away and reduces the threat escalation.

Understanding the needs is what should dictate the correct systems to put in place.

Covert Security Systems Available In The UK:

You may not be aware of some of the security systems available on the UK market but we’ll give you a brief overview of what we can personally provide and install and a few key benefits:

Buried sensor systems from SensoGuard:

• Can be easily installed on your boundary.
• Especially effective where there is no existing fencing physical barrier.
• These are buried to a depth of around 30-50 centimetres.
• They are completely invisible and cannot be bypassed or disabled.
• They work in conjunction with almost all other security systems.
• Aesthetically unobtrusive.
• Differentiates between vehicular, human or wildlife movement.
• Works in all weather conditions and ground types.

Fence-Mounted Perimeter Detection from El-Far:

• They detect and pinpoint scaling, cutting and heavy impacts.
• Works on almost all fence types from palisade and mesh to decorative.
• Ideal for medium to large perimeters of up to several hundred kilometres.
• Low power usage means they can be installed almost anywhere.
• It can be fully integrated with existing security.
• Visually, these systems are not impactful.
• Detects, pinpoints and alerts to threats the moment they occur.
• Weatherproof and dust-proof.

Radar Systems From Magos:

• A wall or mast-mounted radar system.
• More effective than CCTV.
• Mitigates lost line-of-sight and stationary objects.
• Detects movement up to 1KM.
• Differentiates threat types from vehicles and humans.
• Can be set to ignore wildlife.
• You can configure the areas to monitor or ignore.
• Can be fully integrated with existing security measures.
• Works in all weather conditions.

AI-Powered CCTV Systems:

• Fully-configurable camera systems, suited to your needs.
• Advanced threat detection and analysis.
• Select the system that suits your budget or requirement.
• Guaranteed better resolution than standard home CCTV.
• Records footage on detection or constant recording option.
• Works seamlessly in conjunction with perimeter detection systems.
• One AI camera can do the same role as several standard cameras.

The above systems have many more benefits and many specific uses. Our on-site assessment will identify which systems would be of the most benefit to you, in securing your property.

If you wish to learn more about our company, systems or how you can better protect your home, assets or family, please feel free to contact the Safe Security Solutions team today.

We’ll provide expert advice free of charge and identify the best methods of perimeter protection for your situation.