Prestige Products & Surrey Police collaborate to keep family safe

The MailGUARD+Plus is a product that the Surrey Police Designing Out Crime Officers (DOCOs) have previously used to help reduce the risk of an Arson attack, and when approached by the Detective about how best to reduce the risk on this occasion, along with some additional physical measures the MailGUARD+Plus was the obvious choice.

Due to the DOCO’s previous knowledge, contact was immediately made with Managing Director Steve Burge of Prestige Products, who was quickly able to supply the product. Within 14 hours of the threat to the household being made the MailGUARD+Plus was in situ.

SBD Development Lyn Poole said: “This is an excellent example of how one of our member companies, Prestige Products, has jumped into action when an immediate response was requested from the Police. Officers identified the products needed to assist them mitigate the risk against the victims and help them feel safe in their own home again. The MailGUARD product range is simple to install but extremely effective if put to the test.

“Steve Burge, the Managing Director of Prestige Products, has been a loyal supporter of Secured by Design for many years, attending our ATLAS National Training event where he has exhibited the MailGUARD product range to Designing Out Crime Officers from all 43 police forces.”

Surrey Police commented “Thanks to Steve Burge’s understanding of the problem, and with his assistance, we were able to collect and deliver the MailGUARD+Plus to the household, who were able to self-fit the device. This was an excellent example of all of the Secured by Design world working together to quickly reduce the risk and fear of crime”.

Steve at Prestige Products, said: “We are proud to have been able to help Surrey Police in this particular incident. This again, just shows the confidence that the DOCO’s have in the MailGUARD/MailGUARD+Plus Letterbox Security products and that there was only one product that they had full trust in doing the job the product is intended for.

“This is probably one of the UK’s best Target Hardening Tools available to Police/Fire Services as well as Local Authority’s that can be implemented for incidents such as these.

“We know that having the mark of SBD Accreditation has and will only help in the future use of the Mail/HomeGUARD products being used by others. Prestige Products hope that their association with SBD will continue for many years to come”.

Based in Eastbourne, East Sussex, Prestige Products is an independent business which has been established since 2008 and produces a blocking and safety device for letterboxes to prevent criminals fishing for keys or using it as a means for arson / anti-social behaviour type attacks.

MailGUARD, which is targeted at housing providers and the emergency services and HomeGUARD, which is targeted at the private residential marketplace via the locksmith industry, both have the same features and protect homes in the same way. They feature a lockable steel security plate to stop burglars fishing through the letterbox to try to reach house or car keys, unlock front doors or steal post and also have a flame retardant, self-extinguishing and leak-proof fabric bag to contain small fires caused by flammable liquids or fireworks being put through the letterbox.

There is also a ‘Plus’ version of both ranges, which utilises the same self-extinguishing fabric as the standard product but with the addition of a heat detection tube, which releases an extinguishant to put out fires. This is intended for homes at high risk.

All products are encased in a high quality slimline white steel frame, with a bag with double zip-puller which can be locked, and allows all types of mail to be accepted - including bulky items such as newspapers, magazines and even telephone directories. They are easily fitted to almost any door in a few minutes.

You can find out more about Prestige Products and their range of SBD accredited MailGUARD and HomeGUARD Letterbox Protection products here: https://www.securedbydesign.com/member-companies/sbd-members?view=companydetail&account=0011i00000JpvzKAAR