Wineries are big business in BC, and exports of Canadian wine are growing each year. In 2016, Canadian exports totalled 71.4 million litres, valued at $80.1 million. B.C. is now home to over 800 vineyards, representing approximately 1/3rd of Canada’s total vineyards across the country.

You might think wineries are not too concerned with theft, after all, if it’s just alcohol the thieves are after, they could target a retail outlet and score some single malt scotch.

But wineries have some unique attributes that appeal to professional criminals, such as: rural location, lack of proximity to police, remote roads, unlit surrounding landscapes, and so on.

It’s not so much the wine that is attractive to steal, unless there is a cache of premium stored vintages on the premises. Instead, thieves are targeting wineries to make off with everything else they can - tools, vehicles, electronics.

So if you have several growing acres to protect, along with out-buildings containing expensive tools and office equipment, you have a challenge to monitor that large property perimeter in a rural location. In the last few years, BC wineries have had to deal with repeat break-ins and theft. Church and State Winery in Okanagan Falls was robbed 4 times in one summer. In an interview with CBC News, owner John Pullen said, “They are after computers, tablets, stereo equipment, ATVs, power tools and a tractor.” Other wineries that have experienced break-ins include Black Hills Estate, Sumac Ridge Estate Winery, Hester Creek Estate Winery, and Tinhorn Creek Vineyards.

But what to do? Hiring a security guard is expensive and may not be effective.

Protecting an estate property in a rural location is a challenge best met with a fully integrated commercial security system. The system needs to try to overcome the security issues around the rural location and access perimeter. And if there is a break-in, the system needs to buy as much time as possible to allow a police response.

Here’s how a Sonitrol fully monitored security system addresses those issues.

1. Perimeter Warning Signage: Sonitrol warning signs are a deterrent to professional thieves because or our reputation. Sonitrol security systems have captured over 175,000 criminals since 1977.

2. Audio Alarms: Audio alarms have a wide range and high sensitivity. When strategically placed, they can pick up the sound of an intruder before they jump a fence. Our audio alarms are fully monitored 24x7, and Sonitrol control room operators are able to detect, and verify, the moment a break-in occurs.

3. Access Control: We’ll recommend a password keyless entry system for employees that is more secure than keyed locks. For businesses like wineries, owners should think about using locked interior rooms, and locked cabinets within the rooms, to hold electronics and office equipment, cameras, etc. For outside buildings, tools should also be locked up within a locked cage or compound. Having several locks between the thief, and the object worth stealing, slows up the crime giving the police more time to get to the site.

4. Video CCTV Alarms: As with audio alarms, our CCTV cameras are fully monitored by Sonitrol Central Control. Our employees are highly trained, and know exactly how to report the crime to the authorities, providing details such as physical location on the property, and other visual information as the event unfolds. In short, they can tell the police in real-time where the criminal is in the building or yard, and what they are doing. Our equipment captures evidence and feeds it back to the local police station or cruiser, sending images, video and audio files.

You can see how a fully integrated security system address deterrents such as signage and lighting, places alarms in key locations, and utilizes access control to delay the crime and protect your property.

While these components are not unique to preventing crimes at wineries, they do offer practical/affordable solutions to the challenges faced by rural businesses, wineries, farmer markets, even construction sites.

An integrated commercial security system needs to evaluate all the risks faced by your particular business (and location), to recommend a technology and service solution that works!