The Challenge
A family-run car dealership in Co. Antrim came to Advanced Overwatch with a familiar problem: their security system had aged out. The existing intruder alarm dated back over a decade, was no longer supported by the manufacturer, and had a history of false activations that the monitoring station had flagged repeatedly. The CCTV setup consisted of eight low-resolution analogue cameras installed years earlier, useful for nothing beyond confirming that a break-in had happened, rather than preventing one.
The stakes were high. The dealership holds a rolling stock of 40 to 60 vehicles across a forecourt and indoor showroom, with a combined value regularly exceeding £1.5 million. After-hours is the highest risk window: vehicles are visible from the road, the site borders a public car park, and the previous system had no perimeter detection whatsoever. The dealership had experienced two incidents of attempted vehicle theft in the preceding 18 months.
Their insurance provider had issued a formal requirement to upgrade to a monitored, Grade 2 or higher intruder alarm system or face a significant increase in premiums at renewal.
Advanced Overwatch carried out a full site survey and security risk assessment before recommending a solution.
The Solution
Intruder Alarm: Texecom Premier Elite
We installed a Texecom Premier Elite intruder alarm system, a market-leading panel widely used in commercial premises across the UK and Ireland. The Premier Elite was chosen for several reasons:
- Grade 2 compliance, meets the insurance requirement and aligns with BS 4737 and EN 50131 standards applicable to commercial sites
- Wired and wireless zone flexibility, the mixed-mode installation allowed us to protect both the showroom interior and the perimeter boundary without excessive cable runs across the forecourt
- SSAIB-compliant installation, as an SSAIB-approved contractor, Advanced Overwatch’s installation meets the monitoring centre’s acceptance criteria without requiring a third-party inspection
- Remote management, the system integrates with Texecom Connect for app-based arming, disarming, and zone monitoring, giving the dealership owner full visibility from his phone at all times
Key detection points included the showroom entrance, the workshop, the rear compound gate, and a dedicated zone covering the internal vehicle storage area. Passive infrared (PIR) detectors with anti-masking were installed in high-risk zones.
CCTV: Hikvision AcuSense
The analogue system was replaced end-to-end with a Hikvision AcuSense IP CCTV installation, 16 cameras across the site, including four dedicated to the forecourt perimeter.
AcuSense was selected because of its AI-powered human and vehicle classification. Unlike standard motion-triggered cameras, AcuSense filters out false alerts caused by animals, foliage, or passing headlights, a major operational benefit for a site that borders a public road and car park. The system only triggers an alert when a human or vehicle is detected where there should not be one.
Key features of the installation:
- 4MP resolution across all cameras, with two 8MP cameras covering primary vehicle display areas
- Night vision with smart IR, full-colour night images in the showroom, IR in the outdoor zones
- 30-day onsite storage via Hikvision NVR, with remote viewing via the Hik-Connect app
- Forecourt overview cameras with wide-angle coverage capturing all vehicle rows and the entrance gate
Perimeter Detection
A critical addition to the previous system. We integrated a dedicated perimeter zone using outdoor PIR beam detectors at the compound entrance and along the rear boundary wall. This creates an early-warning layer: any intrusion attempt triggers an alert before an individual reaches the vehicles or the building.
The Outcome
- Insurance requirement met, Grade 2 SSAIB-monitored intruder alarm satisfied the insurer’s condition; the dealership avoided a significant premium increase
- False alarm rate eliminated, the new Texecom system has had zero false activations in the three months since commissioning
- Operational visibility, the owner checks live cameras remotely on his phone each evening before closing; the Hik-Connect app shows all 16 camera feeds and alarm status in one place
- Perimeter incidents detected, within the first month of operation, the perimeter detection triggered twice after hours; police were notified and attended both times; no vehicles were stolen
“We’d been putting off replacing the old system for years because we thought it would be a nightmare to sort out. Advanced Overwatch came in, surveyed the site properly, and had the whole job done in two days. The cameras are night and day compared to what we had. We actually feel like we’ve got proper protection now.”
, Dealership Owner, Co. Antrim (quote pending confirmation from Simon)
Why Advanced Overwatch?
Advanced Overwatch is an SSAIB-approved security installer serving commercial and residential clients across Northern Ireland. Our approvals cover intruder alarms, CCTV, access control, and fire alarms. As a Dahua Key Partner and authorised Hikvision installer, we have access to professional-grade equipment and manufacturer training that over-the-counter installers do not.
Every installation is designed from a security risk assessment, not a catalogue. We do not fit generic solutions, we design systems around your site, your risk profile, and your insurance requirements.
Thinking about upgrading your business security?
Call us on 028 7034 4999 or visit advancedoverwatch.com for a free site survey.
Advanced Overwatch | Unit 7, Tirkane Road, Maghera, BT46 5LR | SSAIB Approved | ISO 9001 | ISO 45001 | ISO 14001
