News
PC develops SMS lock
Carlton Reid Oct 3 2007, 6:00pm
A University of Portsmouth policeman has developed a text-alerting bike lock
When a cyclist locks up a bicycle with the prototype lock a text message is sent to a security office.
If someone then moves or tries to move the bicycle, a sensor in the lock emits a silent alarm which triggers a CCTV camera to zoom in and take a picture of the would-be thief. The sensor also sends an alarm to security staff and flashes up live images from the camera on to their monitors. A security guard can then be sent to investigate.
The lock is the idea of university police officer PC Dave Fairbrother and the system was designed by SoS Response of Winchester.
The initiative has been funded jointly by the University of Portsmouth and Hampshire Constabulary.
Portsmouth City Council funded new bicycle racks to help the scheme.
PC Fairbrother said: “Bicycle theft is a huge problem and in the past it was often luck if a bicycle thief was caught. The CCTV cameras could be pointing the wrong way, for example.
“But with this technology we will always be watching and any attempted thefts of locked bicycles will result in the thief being captured on camera."
SoS Response is looking to commercialise the idea.
