A monitoring company reports that it foiled a daylight raid at Dudley Safes, Dudley, West Midlands when a thief used a skip lorry to ram the safe manufacturerโs gates in an attempt to steal a skip of scrap metal worth ยฃ1,700. Operators at Cougar Monitoringโs 24-hour monitoring centre responded to a CCTV alarm activation and called police at once. The police arrived at the scene in less than five minutes and blocked the thiefโs escape route with a patrol car.ย A man, who was described as a recovering heroin addict, has since appeared in court.ย
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He was awaiting sentencing for the attempted theft of the skip and its contents, driving while disqualified, and driving a vehicle without an MOT.
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A Dudley Safes spokesman said: โWeโve used Cougar Monitoring for a number of years now and have always been impressed by their efficiency and professionalism, but this incident really underlines their value to any business. ย Weโd also like to say a big thank you to West Midlands Police, whose response time was superb.ย Weโve now put a poster with a photograph of the thieves being arrested outside the premises warning other would-be thieves that Cougar is watching them.โ
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Established in 1996 by two senior ex-police officers, Cougar offers manned guarding, monitored CCTV equipment, key holding, emergency response, and mobile patrols.ย More information on the company can be found at its website at www.cougarmonitoring.com.ย
