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W.A.S.P. wins Home Office innovation award |
 The innovative bicycle lock dreamed up by University of Portsmouth police officer Dave Fairbrother won a Home Office innovation award today.
PC Fairbrother collected the ‘equipment and technology innovation award’ with Len Weaver, managing director of Winchester firm SOS Response, who turned the idea for the lock into a reality.
The lock and technology they came up with has proved hugely successful in cutting bicycle thefts on one street in Portsmouth and the scheme will now be extended to cover another 100 bicycles in a different part of the university campus.
 The highly commended award was given to PC Fairbrother and Mr Weaver at the Home Office Scientific Development Branch’s annual exhibition in Buckinghamshire. The event is open only to people working in government departments or in law enforcement worldwide and all, including exhibitors, must first pass security clearance test to enter. It allows manufacturers of the latest hardware and software to showcase their work to those at the sharp end of crime fighting and the event is always over-subscribed from those keen to keep one step ahead of terrorists and bombers.
PC Fairbrother works for the university and came up with the idea for the bicycle lock that both deters thieves and helps catch them after he grew fed up with seeing hundreds of students’ bicycles stolen. It works by combining a motion detector, texting and CCTV and since being introduced in King Henry I Street in the city centre last year bicycle thefts in that area have fallen by more than 90 percent.
Head of campus environment at the university, Tony Davis, said: “We are delighted to have won this award. We put a lot of time and energy into getting the technology right and ensuring it reduced cycle crime. That was always our number one priority.”
The idea is so simple it could be installed to protect racks of bicycles in town centres, railway stations and across university campuses and even before the device won the Home Office award police officers and university security staff from around Britain were calling to ask if they could see the technology in action.
PC Fairbrother said: “Bicycle theft is a huge problem and in the past it was often luck if a thief was caught. But with this technology we will always be watching and any attempted thefts of bicycles will result in the thief being captured on camera. The motion sensor lock is also highly visible and acts as a deterrent.”
Mr Weaver, whose firm made the device, is marketing it under the name Wasp (Wireless Asset Security Protection). He said the same technology could eventually be used to protect valuable and vulnerable equipment and belongings such as laptops.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 14 March 2008 )
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