SBD stand at Edinburgh’s Royal Highland Show attracts hundreds of visitors keen to learn about crime prevention

It was the first time that Secured by Design (SBD), the national police crime prevention initiative, which works alongside the Police Service in the UK, had sponsored the police stand, which was positioned at the front of the main building at the Ingliston Showground.

A key feature of the stand was a working tractor decorated as a police vehicle complete with flashing lights to attract the younger audience. The tractor was sponsored by NFU Mutual.

SBD seeks to reduce crime by encouraging companies that have security-related products to achieve SBD’s Police Preferred Specification standard, which means they are sufficiently robust to resist physical attack by casual or opportunistic housebreakers.

Stuart Ward, Designing Out Crime Manager, Scotland, said he was committed to helping farmers and the rural business community in Scotland operate without fear of becoming victims of crime.

Specially trained Crime Prevention and Designing Out Crime Officers are available to provide advice ranging from physical security, such as fences and gates, electronic security, such as alarms and CCTV, and about cyber security.

Stuart explained: “SBD has more than 650 companies with accredited products that have undergone due diligence and are fit for purpose and will assist in making sure business and residential premises in rural areas are less likely to become victims of criminal activity.

“Whilst there will always be an operational policing need to respond quickly to high value thefts like plant and tractors, SBD provides an opportunity to put in place longer-term crime prevention measures, such as providing effective surveillance and physical boundaries to help secure premises and property. These measures, and many others, will improve security and make places much harder for criminals to operate.

“This show gives police officers an opportunity to speak to people from the wider rural community and provide advice, support and guidance in a fairly relaxed setting,” he added.

If you want to report a crime, call police on 101 or 999 in an emergency. For crime prevention advice contact police on 101 and ask for your local Designing Out Crime Officer or local Community Safety and Crime Reduction Officer, and specifically mention Secured by Design products, assistance and advice.