A global security expert from Stonehouse has urged Premier League footballers to stop flaunting their wealth on social media after England and Manchester City star Jack Grealish’s Cheshire mansion was raided for £1million worth of jewellery by thieves on Boxing Day.
Alex Bomberg, a former soldier in the British Army and a former aide to members of the British Royal family at Kensington Palace, has been involved with the world of commercial security and intelligence since leaving the forces in 1997.
“To some, Jack Grealish having suffered a traumatic home break in would come as a shock, but for security professionals who focus on providing secure homes for their clients, it’s not at all a shock, ” revealed Mr Bomberg, who is the founder of Intelligent Protection International Limited.
“It was probably only a matter of time. Far too much effort goes in to CCTV and alarms, and not into layered physical and technical security. It’s all about strength in depth, about deterrence, detection, delaying and responding to attacks or potential attacks, including hostile reconnaissance.
“Stroud and the Cotswolds has its fair share of Middle Eastern Royalty, film stars and ultra high net worths. This problem of targeted robbery is not solely a problem for leafy Cheshire or Kensington and Chelsea.
“This latest incident with Jack Grealish is the latest in a long line of sporting professionals being targeted for the likes of watches, high-value mobile assets, that can be shifted on with relative ease.
As someone who’s company specialises in providing close protection and risk management services globally, I am often called upon to give professional comment by international press. Its not a coincidence that my advice always starts the same questions; what are you putting on social media? How is their outside knowledge of these assets? Do you have layered security? Great security is not about throwing money at the issue, it’s about having security that works well each time. Do you allow deliveries to your front door? Or are deliveries filtered/dealt with by security? Is your CCTV monitored? What happens on the triggering of an alarm? What is the response time of physical security and police?
“The reality is, there needs to be a very quick physical response. Better still, early detection and the putting off of an attack. The geography of the Cotswolds and the stretch on our police forces don’t make for good bedfellows.
“You need a physical response onsite to challenge would be intruders.
“Security is not particularly complex, nor does it need to be expensive, again, it just needs to work – a beware of the dog sign, a sign asking guests to call Security on arrival, these are both great examples of nudge theory, very cheap options that will make potential attackers think twice – known as rational choice theory, where would-be criminals think about the potential of being caught.”
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