Clearview National March 2016 - Issue 172 | Page 121

INSTALLERSUPPORT

Clearview: It sounds like a great idea, but
surely being a new product, it could take
some time to bed in?
Clive Lloyd: You’d expect so, wouldn’t
you? But AIM is different. It was developed
here in the UK by an individual who was
keen to do his bit in the fight against crime
and over the last three years he’s driven the
product forward on a shoestring budget and
achieved some remarkable results.
AIM has been recognised by the Society
of Professional Locksmiths in the USA, is
being used by West Merica, Staffordshire,
Warwickshire, Befordshire and West
Midlands police forces, as well as Safer St
Helens and Safer Worcester.
In total, over 400 units have been fitted
and remarkably not one break-in has
occurred at any of the locations where it’s
fitted.
The fact that it’s acting as such an
effective deterrent is remarkable – and it
will be something we will be building upon
with the inclusion in all packs of door and
window stickers to alert would-be burglars
of the presence of AIM and its link to an
international trace tag database.
Amongst the properties to have AIM
fitted, the most amazing success story is at
Codsall Village Hall in Staffordshire. The

property was targeted time and again by
burglars, but the moment AIM went in
and the supporting stickers were displayed,
the property stopped being targeted –
and has remained totally secure since the
installation.
What this demonstrates is that burglars
don’t want to be inconvenienced. They want
to get in and out of a property with as little
hassle as possible. And they want to do it
without getting caught. AIM makes life
difficult for them; and for those foolhardy
enough to take it on, it can and will result in
their conviction – something no other home
security product currently available can lay
claim to.
Clearview: What are we looking at in
terms of price and installation?
Clive Lloyd: Price wise AIM costs £74.00
plus VAT RRP. Our intention is not to
go down the retail route, but sell it via
locksmiths and security companies – keeping
it as a specialist product that homeowners
will seek out.
In terms of fitting, it can be done quickly
and easily by a non-skilled individual, but
we would recommend that an installer/
locksmith or security company carries out
the initial installation to ensure it is correctly
positioned.

Clearview: Is there anything the customer
needs to do to register the product?
Clive Lloyd: Yes – post-installation they
need to simply go online and register their
unique forensic code, address and the specific
door on which it has been installed.
These details are held by the Retainagroup.
A member of the British Security Industry
Association (BSIA), and licensed by the
Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).
Retainagroup stores the forensic codes and
address details on its International Security
Register, which can then be accessed by police
forces across the country whenever they come
across a trace tag specific to them.
Clearview: Is there a chance two addresses
might end up with the same forensic code?
Clive Lloyd: Absolutely not – there are
billions of forensic codes and no two AIM
canisters are the same.
Clearview: And what are the chances of
accidental activation?
Clive Lloyd: The chances of accidental
activation are negligible. There needs to be a
definite, forceful attempt at entry for the alarm
to sound and the spray to be activated.
Clearview: Once activated, can AIM be reset or will the homeowner need a new system
fitted?
Clive Lloyd: A new AIM would need
fitting should the installed one be activated in
preventing a burglary – but if you consider the
financial cost and emotional trauma of being the
victim of burglary and weigh it up against the
few pounds it costs to buy a new AIM product,
then there really is no quibbling about it.
Clearview: If I want to stock AIM, or am
a consumer who wants to buy it, what should
I do?
Clive Lloyd: At this stage we recommend
visiting www.avocet-hardware.co.uk or calling
01484 711700. We’ll provide all the relevant
information as to how and where you can
protect your home the AIM way.

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