Difference between revisions of "Security issue: Ram raid"
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[[Category:Threat]] |
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| − | [[Image:ramraid.jpg|thumb|right|240px|Results of a ram raid]]'''Ram raid''' is a particular technique for burglars to gain access to primarily commercial premises |
+ | [[Image:ramraid.jpg|thumb|right|240px|Results of a ram raid]]'''Ram raid''' is a particular technique for [[Security issue: Burglary|burglars]] to gain access to, primarily, commercial premises by means of driving - usually stolen - vehicles into locked or closed entrances, exits, windows, or walls. |
== Description == |
== Description == |
||
| − | This act |
+ | This act is occurring at least since the mid 1930s. The term came into widespread use after a series of such raids in Belfast in 1979 which were covered in news reports, and in countries such as Australia it inspired series of similar crimes. |
| − | + | Notably, large trucks are used to break into technology companies and steal high-value equipment for resale on the [[wikipedia:black market|black market]].<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5uvkfoghUo</ref> |
|
| − | Out of town retail parks and industrial parks are often targets |
+ | Out of town retail parks and industrial parks are often targets after day time business hours due to their desertedness, together with the relatively high-value products often on sale (e.g. electronics). |
| − | In recent years, ram raiding |
+ | In recent years, ram raiding using excavators/diggers to target ATM machines has risen significantly<ref>for example in July 2012 (UK example): http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-19026835</ref>. |
== Contributing circumstances == |
== Contributing circumstances == |
||
| − | Known circumstances to influence the likelihood or effect of |
+ | Known circumstances to influence the likelihood or effect of ram raid are presented in the table below: |
{| class="wikitable" |
{| class="wikitable" |
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| Lack of surveillance. || Decreases risk of detection. || A low level of surveillance, particularly round-the-clock surveillance, decreases the perceived risk of detection for a perpetrator and thereby increases the attractiveness. |
| Lack of surveillance. || Decreases risk of detection. || A low level of surveillance, particularly round-the-clock surveillance, decreases the perceived risk of detection for a perpetrator and thereby increases the attractiveness. |
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|- |
|- |
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| − | | High levels of |
+ | | High levels of ram-raid in the vicinity. || Increases likelihood of targeting. || The distance to known places where offenders live matters. As Ram raid is is mostly an act that is committed spontaneously, without much planning <ref name="christopher">Jacques Christopher, ''Ram raiding: the history, incidence and scope for prevention'', Crime at work: studies in security and crime prevention</ref>, the crime has a highly situational character. These kinds of crimes are usually committed closer to the criminal's home than pre-meditated crimes<ref>Beauregarda Eric T, Proulxb Jean, D., Rossmoc Kim A., ''Spatial patterns of sex offenders: Theoretical, empirical, and practical issues'', Aggression and Violent Behavior 10 (2005) 579–603</ref>. This means that if the crime is situated nearby, the criminals are most likely situated nearby also and the likelihood of them selecting the new location for working area increases. |
|- |
|- |
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| − | | High levels of unemployment || Increases likelihood of |
+ | | High levels of unemployment || Increases likelihood of targeting || High levels of unemployment are associated with higher levels of burglary<ref>Kepple NJ, Freisthler B., ''Exploring the ecological association between crime and medical marijuana dispensaries.'',J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2012 Jul;73(4):523-30</ref>. As burglary by ram raid and other means of entering are not distinguished, this is assumed to be valid for ram raid too. |
|- |
|- |
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| + | | Location in suburban area or satellite town or near access route to city || Perceived more vulnerable || Ram-raiders often travel out of the security-conscious city areas to the softer targets of the suburbs. Police sources and retailers’ data show that the satellite towns around many cities suffer a high proportion of attacks (the main roads which lead to these districts are common sites for the location of out-of-town superstores, and provide a further attraction to the ram raiders).<ref name="christopher"></ref> |
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| − | | Low levels of ownership || Decreases the inhibitions for committing the crime || Uncertainty of ownership can reduce responsibility and increase the likelihood of crime and anti-social behaviour going unchallenged<ref>Home Office, ''Safer Places. The planning system and crime prevention'', 2004</ref>. |
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|- |
|- |
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| + | | Presence of ATMs or (attractive) shops || High attractiveness || Almost any type of premises is a potential target for ram raiding, but ATMs and shops that contain electronical equipment, sports clothing, fashion clothing, jewellery, or cigarettes (usually supermarkets or cash and carry warehouses) are particularly popular targets <ref name="christopher"></ref> |
||
| − | | High expected levels of drug- or alcohol abuse || Reduces inhibitions for crime || The presence of regular abusers of alcohol or drugs has a strong correlation with the occurrence of burglary, often thought to be caused by the need for financing an addiction. Studies show that about 40% of all burglary is committed under the influence of alcohol<ref>Greenfeld, Lawrence A, ''Alcohol and crime, an analysis of national data on the prevalence of alcohol involvement in crime'', U,.S. Department of Justice, Office of justice Programs, April 5-7 1998, Washington D.C.</ref>. |
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| − | |- |
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| − | | Long reaction times or inadequate action of reaction force. || Decreases likelihood of apprehension || Untimely or inappropriate reactions to violence lead to a perception of little control, which will increase perceived risk for the public and decrease perceived risk for the perpetrators. Also, reducing the impact of an assault (by timely intervention) will also be impossoble and lead to greater effects of incidents. |
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| − | |- |
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| − | | High percentage of single family detached homes || Increases the perceived reward and vulnerability || Single family detached houses are often attractive targets–with greater rewards – and more difficult to secure because they have multiple access points <ref name="lamm">Lamm Weisel Deborah, ''Burglary of Single-Family Houses'', Problem-Oriented Guides for Police, Guide No. 18</ref>. |
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| − | |- |
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| − | | Large residential areas || Increases attractiveness of area || The number of residential units in a neighbourhood influences the chance of this neighbourhood to be chosen by burglars. When the number of residential units in a neighbourhood increases by 1000, the odds of being chosen rises by a factor of 1.35.<ref name="bernasco">Bernasco Wim and Nieuwbeerta Paul, ''How do residential burglars select target areas? A new approach to the analysis of Criminal Location Choice'', Brit. J. Criminol. (2005) 44, 296-315</ref> |
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| − | |- |
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| − | | Increased ethnic heterogeneity || unknown || Ethnic heterogeneity is associated with higher levels of burglary. A study<ref name="bernasco"></ref> showed that an increase of 10% in heterogeneity in a neigbourhood makes it a factor 1.13 more likely to be chosen by burglars. |
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| − | |- |
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| − | | High amounts of traffic || Increases the visibility of targets || Houses near major thoroughfares are more likely to catch the attention of burglars passing by. Moreover, it is more difficult to distinguish residents and visitors from strangers in heavily traveled areas.<ref name="lamm"></ref> |
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| − | |- |
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| − | | Multiple accesses and exits to neighbourhood || Decreases the risk of apprehension || Multiple access ways, particularly when limited in surveillance, provide good access and exit opportunities for criminals. Alleys, for example, provide both access and escape for burglars, and limit visibility to neighbors. In addition, large side yards facilitate access to the backs of houses.<ref name="lamm"></ref> |
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| ⚫ | |||
| − | * proximity |
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| ⚫ | |||
| − | * protection level in surrounding areas |
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| + | Ram raid fuels the black economy by facilitating stolen goods to be sold illegally. This has an impact on revenue achieved by national governments, and could also have an impact on provision of social service/welfare. |
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| − | * no relation with drugs or ethnicity |
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| − | * lie of the area: travel to less-security conscious areas (satellite towns around cities) |
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| − | * type of commercial enterprise |
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| − | * limited planning, high degree of |
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| − | * young perpetrators |
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| + | ===Economic impact=== |
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| − | === Socio-economic circumstances=== |
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| + | The [[Economic effects of crime|economic impact]] of a ram raid is comparable to the economic impact of a [[Robbery|robbery]] or a normal [[Raid|raid]]. Apart from the lost revenues, merchandise, the [[Primary economic impact|direct]] costs of ram raids are primarily the result of physical and emotional harm inflicted to employees and employers. But the very nature of a ram raid also implies high repair cost, including the cost of clearing up and the need for temporary security measures (guards). Moreover, potential victims will try to prevent a ram raid, investing time and money in preventative security measures like physical barriers and security equipment. In addition, the public authorities will respond to violent crime like ram raids with detection and prevention, prosecution, trial and detention, etc. The economic impact of ram raids can be measured with the help of [[Economic tools|economic tools]]. |
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| − | Although there is no real scientific consensus with respect to the causal relationship between the [[The economics of crime#Socio-economic causes of crime|socio-economic background]] and property crime like robberies or (ram)raids, Australian research, for example, illustrates that long term unemployment amongst young male adolescents has a substantial effect on property crime rates<ref>See, ''e.g.'': Chapman, B., D Weatherburn, C.A. Kapuscinski, M. Chilvers and S. Roussel (2002). ''Unemployment duration, schooling and property crime''. CEPR Working paper</ref>. |
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| + | Violent crime like ram raids cause economic damage to the economy as a whole (the [[Secondary economic impact|secondary economic impact]]). A high frequency of raids, robberies and ram raids can, for example, have a negative influence on local business, property value, tourism, and quality of life (social capital). |
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| − | Enthorf and Spengler(2002)<ref>Entorf, H., H. Spengler (2002). Crime in Europe; Causes and Con-sequences. Springer-Verlag Berlin</ref> find that planning-intense offences like breaking and entering, robbery (ram raids) and violence respond relatively slow to changes in the socio-economic conditions compared to other types of crime like drug and alcohol abuse and violent crime. According to the authors, this may reflect that in a first response to unfortunate social and economic developments some of the affected might become attracted to alcohol and drug abuse, which in a later phase has to be financed with criminal activities by committing property crimes like breaking and entering. |
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| + | [[Measures|Security measures]] mitigate the economic costs of security threats, but also demand investment in time and money such as security costs (cameras, guards) or the increase in distribution costs as a result of a limited accessibility. On top of that, certain security measures like closed roller shutters (that do not create a welcome environment) can reduce the quality of the area and have a negative effect on business. These so-called indirect [[Economic effects of anti-crime security measures#Indirect (secondary) costs of security|economic impact of security measures]] are explained in more detail elsewhere in Securipedia. |
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| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| − | Ram raids lead to considerable costs in both a direct ([[Economic effects of crime#Primary economic impact of crime|primary]]) and a indirect ([[Economic effects of crime#Secondary economic impact of crime|secondary]]) way<ref>Primary economic impact (or direct effects) are generally defined as the initial, immediate economic output generated by a specific cause (in this case a criminal offence). Secondary economic impact (or indirect effects) are generated each time a subsequent transaction is made, for example, the impact of crime on the real estate value in the neighbourhood.</ref>. Direct costs of ram raids come in the form of: |
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| − | * Preventive costs in anticipation of ram raids (e.g. security measures, insurance); |
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| − | * Material and immaterial costs as a consequence of ram raids (e.g. physical damage, repairments, medical costs, mental harm); and |
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| − | * Responsive costs to ram raids (e.g. the costs of detection and prevention, persecution, support trial, etc.). |
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| + | ===Mobility impact=== |
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| − | In addition, the [[Economic effects of crime#Secondary economic impact of crime|secondary economic impact]] of criminal offences has to be considered. Violent crime not only leads to financial or physical damage and prevention costs, but also indirectly influences the local/regional and national economy of a country. According to Detotto and Otranto <ref>Detotto,C. and E. Otranto (2010). ''Does crime affect Economic growth?'' KYKLOS, Vol.63–August 2010-No.3, 330-345.</ref>,“crime acts like a tax on the entire economy: it discourages domestic and foreign direct investments<ref>Foreign direct investment (FDI) is a direct investment by a business or enterprise in a foreign economy.</ref>. On a more local and regional level, economists define economic impact on business, property value, tourism and quality of life (social capital). |
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| + | A location or building has a higher risk for ram raid when it is easily accessible by large vehicles (trucks, vans). In order to prevent ram raids, locations which are more likely to suffer from ram raids (banks etc.) can be protected against ram raid by making it less accessible to (large) vehicles, for example by placing [[bollard]]s. |
||
| + | |||
| + | However, that would have an impact of the mobility and [[accessibility]] in general of that area. For example, one could lower the accessibility of a street for large trucks by putting a barrier on a certain height which allows person cars but not larger trucks or buses, or by making the street narrower. That would also have an impact on the accessibility of e.g. normal public transport (buses) or delivery of goods to shops with trucks. This can be an undesirable side effect of such measures on mobility. With [[bollard]]s, this effect can be reduced by using movable bollards which can be folded flat to permit certain vehicles to drive over them. |
||
| + | |||
| + | ===Safety impact=== |
||
| + | As ram raid is actually a form of burglary, not robbery, the act is usually performed when the shop is unattended, thus ruling out accidental injuries to the personnel. The damage to the shop is usually extensive, which has direct consequences for the extent the shop is able to perform its safety functions, such as |
||
| + | * shelter from the environment (weather) |
||
| + | * prevention and repression of incidents (fires, floods, air quality, etcetera) |
||
| + | * constructional safety |
||
| + | * facilities to assure a timely retreat to a safe environment for the people present in case of incidents ([[Evacuation Management]]). |
||
== Measures == |
== Measures == |
||
| + | Potential measures that can mitigate the likelihood or impact of breaking and entering include: |
||
| − | * based on reducing occurence<ref>add specific measures</ref> |
||
| − | * based on reducing damage<ref>add specific measures</ref> |
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| − | |||
| − | [[Image:Bollard ramkraakbeveiliging.jpg|thumb|right|240px|A [[bollard]] (and two big flower boxes which can also function as vehicle stoppers) in front of a shop to deter ram raiders.]] |
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| − | Commercial properties in areas prone to ram-raids often erect strong [[wiktionary:barrier|barriers]] or obstructions, such as [[bollard]]s, to discourage such attacks. [[wikipedia:Automated teller machine|ATM]] centres are also victims of ram-raiding. |
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| + | * [[Measure: Target hardening|Target hardening]] can greatly increase the effort needed for criminals to enter the object and thereby reduce the attractiveness of an object. [[Bollard|Bollards]] and roller shutters can greatly increase the effort and time needed for a ram raider to enter the premises, thereby increasing the risk of detection and reduce the attractiveness for and likelihood of burglary. |
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| − | Many companies have come up with solutions to ram-raiding.<ref>[http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/money/atm-ram-raiders-foiled/story-e6frezc0-1111117254514 'Raminator' foils ATM ram raids.] ''The Daily Telegraph.'' 21 Aug. 2008.</ref> Everything from electronic bollards to electronic barriers have been employed to keep property from the raiders. |
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| + | * [[measure: Surveillance|Surveillance]] can be effective to detect crime and if overt, to deter potential criminals by raising the perceived risk of apprehension. It can incur high costs if implemented as dedicated observers, either on location or remote. A more natural form of surveillance is surveillance by the inhabitants (also known as 'natural surveillance'), which can also be effective, provided that the commercial area is inhabited and the inhabitants have a good surveillability. |
||
| − | Another solution is security guards, but teams of "round the clock" security are expensive and often not the most economical way of dealing with ram-raiding. |
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| + | * [[Measure: Intervention force|Intervention force]] is needed to make detection measures, such as alarms or surveillance, effective. |
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| + | * [[Measure: Directing traffic flows|Directing traffic flows]] [[Image:Bollard ramkraakbeveiliging.jpg|thumb|right|240px|A [[bollard]] (and two big flower boxes which can also function as vehicle stoppers) in front of a shop to deter ram raiders.]]can be effective in preventing traffic to be able to get into a ramming position. A CPNI guide [http://www.cpni.gov.uk/documents/publications/2011/2011001-integrated_security_v1.0.pdf?epslanguage=en-gb] gives, from page 18 and further, some practical advice how design of traffic flows can reduce the risk of ramming. |
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| + | * [[Measure: Target removal|Target removal]] can reduced ram raiding by for example providing means of easily removing the [[valuables]] from the store at night. |
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{{references}} |
{{references}} |
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Latest revision as of 10:54, 29 July 2013
Ram raid is a particular technique for burglars to gain access to, primarily, commercial premises by means of driving - usually stolen - vehicles into locked or closed entrances, exits, windows, or walls.
Contents
Description
This act is occurring at least since the mid 1930s. The term came into widespread use after a series of such raids in Belfast in 1979 which were covered in news reports, and in countries such as Australia it inspired series of similar crimes.
Notably, large trucks are used to break into technology companies and steal high-value equipment for resale on the black market.[1]
Out of town retail parks and industrial parks are often targets after day time business hours due to their desertedness, together with the relatively high-value products often on sale (e.g. electronics).
In recent years, ram raiding using excavators/diggers to target ATM machines has risen significantly[2].
Contributing circumstances
Known circumstances to influence the likelihood or effect of ram raid are presented in the table below:
| Contributing Circumstance | Influence | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of surveillance. | Decreases risk of detection. | A low level of surveillance, particularly round-the-clock surveillance, decreases the perceived risk of detection for a perpetrator and thereby increases the attractiveness. |
| High levels of ram-raid in the vicinity. | Increases likelihood of targeting. | The distance to known places where offenders live matters. As Ram raid is is mostly an act that is committed spontaneously, without much planning [3], the crime has a highly situational character. These kinds of crimes are usually committed closer to the criminal's home than pre-meditated crimes[4]. This means that if the crime is situated nearby, the criminals are most likely situated nearby also and the likelihood of them selecting the new location for working area increases. |
| High levels of unemployment | Increases likelihood of targeting | High levels of unemployment are associated with higher levels of burglary[5]. As burglary by ram raid and other means of entering are not distinguished, this is assumed to be valid for ram raid too. |
| Location in suburban area or satellite town or near access route to city | Perceived more vulnerable | Ram-raiders often travel out of the security-conscious city areas to the softer targets of the suburbs. Police sources and retailers’ data show that the satellite towns around many cities suffer a high proportion of attacks (the main roads which lead to these districts are common sites for the location of out-of-town superstores, and provide a further attraction to the ram raiders).[3] |
| Presence of ATMs or (attractive) shops | High attractiveness | Almost any type of premises is a potential target for ram raiding, but ATMs and shops that contain electronical equipment, sports clothing, fashion clothing, jewellery, or cigarettes (usually supermarkets or cash and carry warehouses) are particularly popular targets [3] |
Impacts
Social impact
Ram raid fuels the black economy by facilitating stolen goods to be sold illegally. This has an impact on revenue achieved by national governments, and could also have an impact on provision of social service/welfare.
Economic impact
The economic impact of a ram raid is comparable to the economic impact of a robbery or a normal raid. Apart from the lost revenues, merchandise, the direct costs of ram raids are primarily the result of physical and emotional harm inflicted to employees and employers. But the very nature of a ram raid also implies high repair cost, including the cost of clearing up and the need for temporary security measures (guards). Moreover, potential victims will try to prevent a ram raid, investing time and money in preventative security measures like physical barriers and security equipment. In addition, the public authorities will respond to violent crime like ram raids with detection and prevention, prosecution, trial and detention, etc. The economic impact of ram raids can be measured with the help of economic tools.
Violent crime like ram raids cause economic damage to the economy as a whole (the secondary economic impact). A high frequency of raids, robberies and ram raids can, for example, have a negative influence on local business, property value, tourism, and quality of life (social capital).
Security measures mitigate the economic costs of security threats, but also demand investment in time and money such as security costs (cameras, guards) or the increase in distribution costs as a result of a limited accessibility. On top of that, certain security measures like closed roller shutters (that do not create a welcome environment) can reduce the quality of the area and have a negative effect on business. These so-called indirect economic impact of security measures are explained in more detail elsewhere in Securipedia.
Mobility impact
A location or building has a higher risk for ram raid when it is easily accessible by large vehicles (trucks, vans). In order to prevent ram raids, locations which are more likely to suffer from ram raids (banks etc.) can be protected against ram raid by making it less accessible to (large) vehicles, for example by placing bollards.
However, that would have an impact of the mobility and accessibility in general of that area. For example, one could lower the accessibility of a street for large trucks by putting a barrier on a certain height which allows person cars but not larger trucks or buses, or by making the street narrower. That would also have an impact on the accessibility of e.g. normal public transport (buses) or delivery of goods to shops with trucks. This can be an undesirable side effect of such measures on mobility. With bollards, this effect can be reduced by using movable bollards which can be folded flat to permit certain vehicles to drive over them.
Safety impact
As ram raid is actually a form of burglary, not robbery, the act is usually performed when the shop is unattended, thus ruling out accidental injuries to the personnel. The damage to the shop is usually extensive, which has direct consequences for the extent the shop is able to perform its safety functions, such as
- shelter from the environment (weather)
- prevention and repression of incidents (fires, floods, air quality, etcetera)
- constructional safety
- facilities to assure a timely retreat to a safe environment for the people present in case of incidents (Evacuation Management).
Measures
Potential measures that can mitigate the likelihood or impact of breaking and entering include:
- Target hardening can greatly increase the effort needed for criminals to enter the object and thereby reduce the attractiveness of an object. Bollards and roller shutters can greatly increase the effort and time needed for a ram raider to enter the premises, thereby increasing the risk of detection and reduce the attractiveness for and likelihood of burglary.
- Surveillance can be effective to detect crime and if overt, to deter potential criminals by raising the perceived risk of apprehension. It can incur high costs if implemented as dedicated observers, either on location or remote. A more natural form of surveillance is surveillance by the inhabitants (also known as 'natural surveillance'), which can also be effective, provided that the commercial area is inhabited and the inhabitants have a good surveillability.
- Intervention force is needed to make detection measures, such as alarms or surveillance, effective.
- Directing traffic flows can be effective in preventing traffic to be able to get into a ramming position. A CPNI guide [1] gives, from page 18 and further, some practical advice how design of traffic flows can reduce the risk of ramming.
A bollard (and two big flower boxes which can also function as vehicle stoppers) in front of a shop to deter ram raiders. - Target removal can reduced ram raiding by for example providing means of easily removing the valuables from the store at night.
Footnotes and references
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5uvkfoghUo
- ↑ for example in July 2012 (UK example): http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-19026835
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Jacques Christopher, Ram raiding: the history, incidence and scope for prevention, Crime at work: studies in security and crime prevention
- ↑ Beauregarda Eric T, Proulxb Jean, D., Rossmoc Kim A., Spatial patterns of sex offenders: Theoretical, empirical, and practical issues, Aggression and Violent Behavior 10 (2005) 579–603
- ↑ Kepple NJ, Freisthler B., Exploring the ecological association between crime and medical marijuana dispensaries.,J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2012 Jul;73(4):523-30
