Gates Can Be the Weak Link in Security

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. When that chain is part of perimeter fencing, the most vulnerable point may not be where you think. Gates act as more than security equipment, they represent structural safety meant to stop even the largest of threats. While bollards and recessed rising barricades are effective, they just don’t project the outward strength that is immediately captured by a well-constructed and manned gate. Even so, that image can be shattered in short order when a determined assailant decides to take action against private or secured property.

Show of Farce

In many instances, people will view a gate as truly barring passage into or out of a secure space. For others, such as a car thief stealing a Ford pickup truck in Portland, Oregon in early 2020, it just gets in the way. A woman crawled underneath the barrier and proceeded to ram it from inside of a local tow yard. An employee waited outside during the incident, hoping to block her with his own vehicle. The flimsy gate struck the employee upon impact, throwing him back several feet. At this point the gate was little more than twisted wire and metal, allowing the criminal to easily depart. In addition, the battered gate caused damage to the employee’s truck while he was sent to the hospital with severe injuries.

Toys for Tots

While the tow yard incident illustrates how larger vehicles can tear through some gates with little thought, many people believe that regular cars aren’t much of a threat. To the surprise of many security teams even smaller vehicles can make their way through such barriers easily. When a man was arrested in 2019 for ramming the security gate on a Nike Campus, camera footage shows how the impact barely slowed the four-door sedan. Stolen cars were also used as battering rams when three suspects drove through a gas station gate in England. Such basic barriers pose little problems for people intent on getting inside. When they are little more than a speedbump to criminals, more substantial gateways are necessary to provide effective security measures.

The Real Deal

While these examples do not take place in locations with enhanced security needs, there are many institutions that rely on such gates as their primary method of protection. In essence, an organization that wishes to truly keep their areas secure should not be using the same deterrents as towing companies and gas stations. Alternatives such as Delta Scientific’s own high-security crash gates are much better equipped to the job, capable of stopping a seven-and-a-half ton vehicle moving at 50mph. If replacing existing gates isn’t an option, K-rated barriers can be installed with shallow foundations that raise and lower according to need.

When thinking about security, it is important to remember the difference between deterrent and prevention. Contact Delta Scientific to learn more about protecting high-security areas with gates that do more than provide an imposing appearance. With the right equipment, any location can not only look and feel safe but provide the best protection available. 

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