GATE MOTOR ANTI THEFT BRACKET
AUTHOR: KOBUS LABUSCHAGNE
Gate motors are the target for thieves to make a quick buck off. Should you have a gate opener and they haven’t taken your motor, then consider yourself lucky get yourself a anti theft bracket for your motor. Some people consider a gate motor as a luxury item to have, but considering the amount of crime happening in our homes and work place, a gate motor is the best way to go. Considering the power failure problems often experienced in South Africa, battery back-up units are almost a must. Security is a major worry for most us and knowing that your gate will open even if someone has deliberately turned off the power in the hope of hijacking you, is very re-assuring. To my experience as a gate motor guru, a sliding gate or single-swing gate is probably more secure from vandalism than a double-swing gate. With double swing gates it is difficult to ensure that the two leaves cannot be easily pried apart, allowing someone to squeeze through the gap. This is particularly a problem when the leaf lengths exceed two metres, as the gates tend to be a bit flimsy. In addition, locking mechanisms positioned where the two leaves join are not easy to install and they can introduce other problems. When it comes to single swing-gates, which are generally fairly long because they need to span the full width of the driveway, a magnetic or a solenoid-strike type electric lock is recommended. Magnetic locks are similar to those used in bank entrance doors, and are very effective but need to be supplied with continuous power to operate. In a battery-operated system this is not normally a problem, but one has to keep in mind that a larger battery and charger may have to be provided depending on the length of the power failure.
Taking care good care of your motor is not costly and installing a gate motor anti theft bracket is an investment and affordable. To make sure your gate is safe and secure , is to check regulary that they are not tampered with, and they will boast far more features, for example, the gate controller could turn on pillar-, or driveway- lights automatically at times programmed by the user, or certain users, such as a gardener, could be inhibited from entering the premises at certain programmable times. During my experience with installation, I have come to learn that automated gate is far more secure than having to get out one’s vehicle and manually open the gate. However, they are vulnerable during the open/close cycle. Automated gates by their very nature can be dangerous or even deadly so various mechanisms have been employed by gate motor manufacturers and installers to reduce the risk of death or injury. These include motor overload cut-outs and infrared beams, but these safety devices create security “holes” which can and have been used very effectively by criminals. For instance, placing a piece of black insulation tape over an infrared beam before the gate is opened, will allow the gate to open, but not close afterwards. An unsuspecting home owner will arrive home, open the automated gate, but then find it will not close, this will allow the thieves to strike with minimal effort. There have also been many instances of hijackers lifting gates off the rails or applying drag on the gate during the time that it is closing. All these methods will prevent the gate from closing. There is, however, very little from a security sense that one can do to prevent this type of attack except to be vigilant during the time that the gate is closing.
Gate motor owners who have sliding gates should ensure that once the gate is closed, that it is not lifted from the rails. Any gate that can be lifted from its rails when it is in its closed position, can be opened. It is surprising how many people live with a false sense of security when it comes to automated gates, and how easy the majority of them can be opened without the remote, mainly due to poor installation. Bottom line, if a gate, automated or otherwise feels flimsy, it is flimsy and offers no protection. Another issue to consider is a trend which has been around for a while, where the thieves are actually after the gate motor itself. Gate motors, especially sliding gate motors should have a substantial anti-theft bracket or be welded in place.
Autogate South Africa sell and supply Anti theft Brackets for Hansa Speedo, Hansa deluxe 11, Centurion, ET gate motors, DTS gate motors and many more. Kobus Labuschagne is the owner of Autogate and his company runs a call centre 7 days a week and offer anti theft brackets for sale throughout the Gauteng region.
www.autogate.co.za
