Cuttings of Ramsgate, a third generation family jewellers and pawnbrokers were the target by three raiders on Monday, December 16, late in the afternoon. The armed robbers forced their way through the front entrance door and targeted the jewellery cabinets and window display.
In August 2011, the shop was installed with a robbery deterrent product to protect the staff and the stock. Almost at once, the vigilant staff initiated the Fog Bandit product, which in two seconds projected a 6m blanket of visually impenetrable yet harmless fog across the shop, screening the targeted display cabinets and forcing the raiders to turn and flee.
Due to prompt reaction of the staff and the speed and density of the security fog, the raiders fled the shop empty handed.
At 6.25pm the same afternoon, Kent Police stopped a vehicle on the A249 in the Maidstone area and arrested two men and two women in connection with the incident. All four are being held in custody.
Jamie Kirkland, owner of Cuttings, says: “The Fog Bandit worked brilliantly! Nobody was hurt, we did not suffer any loss and the shop is back open this morning for Christmas trading. Without the Fog Bandit the outcome could have been very different. We feel assured by having the Fog Bandit installed and strongly suggest that other retail Jewellers do the same.”
As arrests have been made in the aftermath of the robbery Kent Police have requested that images and CCTV from the incident be withheld; photos of another crime captured on CCTV thwarted by the fogging product is pictured. Bandit UK Ltd are the distributor for the UK and Ireland for the security fogging product Fog Bandit; for more information see www.bandituk.co.uk.
Neil Chrismas, Sales and Marketing Director for Bandit UK added: “The Bandit UK Team applauds the staff during this incident for acting promptly in initiating the Fog Bandit and forcing the raiders to leave their shop empty handed. In the UK alone, over the last three years the Fog Bandit has successful foiled 25 robberies at similar businesses without any failures. This is a further example of the clear deterrent message to the criminal fraternity that targeting Jewellers and Pawnbrokers with a Fog Bandit system installed is a fruitless exercise and heightens the likelihood of being caught.”
About the product
When sensors detect an intruder (overnight protection) or a personal alarm is raised (daytime use) the BANDIT’s patented high-pressure system delivers a dense, visually impenetrable fog at the rate of 28 cubic metres per second, projecting it 6 metres in the first two seconds alone. An average sized shop, office or showroom of 140 cubic metres takes five seconds to fill, the makers say.
The same unit can be used for 24/7 risk applications. Daytime robbery deterrent is achieved by deploying a short controlled activation to create a fog curtain between the raider and the staff and/or goods. Overnight protection is achieved via a longer activation filling the entire area with fog where stock, equipment and other contents can be obscured from sight.
