The saying, “Many days for the thief and one day for the owner” is true of a fake security director caught yesterday working illegally without licence in Huddersfield by the SIA’s CCTV investigators when they were out on a series of visits to CCTV suites in the North of England.
According to a source at the SIA investigators visited a security company’s office in Huddersfield and after being refused entry to the premises, investigators invoked their powers of entry under the Private Security Industry Act 2001.
Vigilance learnt that once inside the premises, investigators found that the director of the security company did not hold an SIA licence. He was interviewed under caution for the offence and further enforcement work will follow.
A spokesperson for the Authority said two other businesses in Manchester and Middlesbrough are also subject to further enquiries relating to employees and directors of the businesses.
The spokesperson for the SIA said inspections were carried out to test the compliance of CCTV businesses and targeted monitoring suites based in the offices of security companies.
Visits were made to nine businesses in Manchester, Wigan, Preston, Huddersfield, Bradford, Selby, Middlesbrough and Blyth. In total 21 individuals were inspected, 20 SIA-licensed operatives were found to be working legally and one unlicensed person was found.
SIA Head of Investigation Neil Diamond said: "We will always ask for permission to gain entry to premises such as these and in the majority of cases, businesses consent to this. However, SIA investigators do have a statutory power of entry to such premises and we will not hesitate to exercise this if we feel that, as in this case, our enquiries are being deliberately obstructed in order to hide offending."
Fact file:
• By law, CCTV operatives working under contract must hold and display a valid SIA licence. A non-front line licence is required for those who manage, supervise and/or employ individuals who engage in licensable activity, as long as front line activity is not carried out; this includes directors and partners.
• Under Section 19 of Private Security Industry Act 2001, persons authorised by the SIA may enter premises owned or occupied by a regulated person other than premises occupied exclusively for residential purposes as a private dwelling. More information can be found here: www.sia.homeoffice.gov.uk/legislation
• In October 2010, the Government announced a "phased transition to a new regulatory regime" for the private security industry. The SIA is working in consultation with the industry to draw up these plans, and while future regulation is subject to Parliamentary approval, the key elements are likely to include: a new regulatory body outside Government; the licensing of businesses; and the registration of individuals. The final decisions on future regulation in Scotland and Northern Ireland are subject to decision by the devolved administrations, but it is expected that the new regime should be capable of working across the UK.
Currently the Private Security Industry Act 2001 remains law. It is a criminal offence for security operatives and those deploying them to work in licensable activities without a valid SIA licence. The SIA and our partners continue to ensure that the law is properly enforced.