Discussion
The report highlights the case of the Antwerp Diamond heist case, which is believed to be the greatest heist of the century. Lafleur et al. (2016) stated that even though there are high level of security, the thieves looted gold, diamonds and other jewellery items that summed up to the value of $100 million. The system that was installed to protect the valuable stoned is considered as the safest place of the world and that no person can steal the valuables from the selves. However, the reality shows a different picture on 16th February, 2003 and more than 123 out of 180 safe deposits selves were broken down in the robbing (Abcnews.go.com, 2017).
The prime objective of this assessment is to illustrate the appropriate system to physical security and relevant reasons for the reduced effectiveness of the well-designed PPS system as a result of security decay. These two concerns will be explained through the Antwerp Diamond heist case.
Systems approach to physical security
Chen (2017) stated that the protection of software, hardware, internet network and some valuables from physical actions and events is known as physical security. All the organizations adapt a system approach in order to overcome the cause serious loss or damage. Charney (2015) also stated that the physical security also includes safety from flood, fire, burglary, vandalism and terrorism. Ziemer (2016) stated that managing authorities of an organization planned the security system to layer architecture so that even if one layer fails the other layers can protect the main system. Lafleur et al. (2016) highlighted a, model for security that comprises of five layer- the innermost layer is the physical security and cyber security; whereas, the next layer of security represents the maintenance of stable control. The third layer is planned for reducing the unexpected failures; while, another two layers illustrates the reduced human error and improvement in emergency response (Lafleur et al., 2016).
Image 1: 5 layer security design planning
(Source: Lafleur et al. 2016)
In Antwerp Diamond heist case, a person named Leonardo Notarbartolo, rented an office in a building that approximately costs $700 per month. The diamonds and other valuable stones that are kept there, belong to the diamond traders. The robbers broke the 10 layers of security of the vaults and then stole all the diamond, gold and other valuable stones within a night (Theguardian.com, 2017). The security system comprised of a combination dial with 0-99 password combination option, keypads for disarming sensor locks, steel lockers, light sensors, magnetic sensors, internal and external security camera and heat monitor sensor system (Abcnews.go.com, 2017). Compared to the model this arrangement can be related to the innermost layer of the diagram that represents the physical and cyber security as all the authentication details and information are linked with internet security servers. .
Image 2: 10 layers of security protection at Antwerp Diamond Center vault
(Source: Abcnews.go.com, 2017)
It is highlighted that the entire floor was security forced that operated a nerve center at the entrance. Lafleur et al. (2014) also stated that the access was protected through metal turnstiles and all the visitors are questioned so that their authenticity can be verified. This aspect can be connected to the second layer of protection that is “maintaining stable control” as visitors are questiionnerd for cross checking that the diamonds and gold are safe. Moreover, the system also has 100 million possible combinations so that any person, who intends to steal from the vault face huge difficulty. Chowdhary and Saluja (2014) furthermore depict that the door in the entrance of the room is so strong that it can withstand 12 hours of nonstop drilling. However, the presence of seismic alarm can identify the first sense of drilling which makes the stealing option from the vaults next to impossible. The door was additionally monitored by a pair of abutting metal plates- one on the door and other one in the wall next to door. The plates are responsible to formulate a magnetic field and when open the magnetic field breaks that result in triggering the alarm (Sokolnikov, 2017). In such situation if burglar desires to disarm the ringing alarm, they have to give an impossible-to-duplicate foot-long key in the nearby keyboard. This can be related to the layer of “reducing unexpected equipment failures” protection. This can be explained with the property of heat sensors that detects the heat and temperature of the intruder’s body and rings the alarm Potyrailo et al. (2012) stated that the pedestrians, who desire to get into the building have to face state-of-the-art security measures. Moreover, in Antwerp World Diamond Centre, electronic photographs of the visitors are also taken both in time of entry and exit and the images are also transmitted to the central security office so that record can be maintained for each visitor. This can be connected with the security measurement of “reducing human error”. Jain and Nandakumar (2012) argued that the last stage that is “improvement in emergency response” is neglected and there were not guards and police for the protection of the vault. The immense believe that the security system is enough for protecting the diamonds allows the intruder to steal the valuable goods from the safe.
Systems approach to physical security
Deng et al. (2015) stated that the in Physical protection System (PPS), the system collaborates the work of people and electronic procedures so that the valuable goods can be protected from sabotage and burglary. However, Xu et al. (2014) argued that it is also very vital to consider the reaction of the organization and management on the evident risk for the safety of the valuable of an organization. The response of management is also taken on the provision of security and ineffectiveness of the security. Coole et al., (2012) also proposed a security decay theory that highlighted how the actual process should occur.
Image 3: The security decay theory
(Source: Coole et al., 2012)
According to this framework, the security decay includes two primary components- apathy and incorrect reaction (Coole et al., 2012). Flammini et al. (2014) moreover stated that apathy that is raised due to the effective security and the incorrect reaction is simple caused by decay of the security system. Oh et al. (2012, March) stated that a lack of security threat might illustrate the situation of the apathy where there lack of security and lack of consideration can be identified within the management. Smith and Brooks (2012) moreover affirm that this situation makes the people apathetic that result in compromise in the security system. Thus it is the liability of the organization to make their employee believe that the security system that they are following is effective.
In context of the Antwerp Diamond heist case, in spite of high security system, the vault gets robbed and more than 123 safe lockers out of 180 were broken (Economictimes.com, 2017). The staffs had believed that the security system that they have in their office is the best security system. However, the major reason for the security decay at Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC). Leonardo Notarbartolo was the person, who rented the office floor and is aware of the entire security system. This concerned person is also a one-time jeweler from Turin and a tenant of AWDC. It is also found that the actual burglars contacted Leonardo Notarbartol so that they can get the internal images of the security system. They have selected Leonardo Notarbartol because he himself is the user of the security system has firm belief that no one can break the vault. Thus, the burglars bribed Leonardo Notarbartol for getting the internal images and this allows the intruders to plan their robbery without any difficulty within a night (Abcnews.go.com, 2017). The images of the security system and vaults were captured through a spy pen that is inside the pocket of Leonardo Notarbartolo and is looking like a regular highlighted (Economictimes.com, 2017). Lafleur et al. (2014) thus argued that this is the first stage of the security decay as the person responsible for the safety of all the diamonds, gold and other valuable stones, was actually suspected as the master mind of the robbery.
The leaked information of the vaults and the entire security system that allow the robbers to disable all the alarms and there were also no police and no guards. The effective PPS system in AWDC firstly comprised of heat-sensing infrared director and security cameras. It is found that after the office building closed at Friday night, at Saturday night, four men excluding Leonardo Notarbartolo entered the building from the tower next behind AWDC. The heat-sensing infrared director and security cameras were disabling with the use of plastic bags. The second stage of the security system is the two plates that create the magnetic field which on interruption get break that results in ringing of security alarm. The burglars put slab of aluminum in order to tap the door’s magnetic plates and as a result no alarm went off (Economictimes.com, 2017). The vault was opened by giving the security code and experts also did not have any ideas regarding the brakeage of the locks of the vaults. It was Notarbartolo, who confessed that he used to spend more time on the security floor one week prior to the robbery and recorded everything with a spy camera. In this process, the combination of the security lock was recorded. This is the second stage of the security decay. It is also found that that the burglars also hacked the heat or light sensors, which are another device of the effective PPS system and make them, put of loop and thus, none of the heat and light sensor responded in the night of robbery (Economictimes.com, 2017). The PPS system of AWDC also has the security cameras and their recording that the robbers take it with themselves while they were leaving the building. Moreover, all the fingerprint marks were removed from the vaults so that the police cannot suspect the actual intruder. Thus, in this way, a safe secured system that is believed to be the safest place in the world gets hacked.
Reduced effectiveness of well-designed PPS due to security decay
Image 4: The Diamond Center’s vault after the robbery
(Source: Economictimes.com, 2017)
Thus, it can be stated that lack of proper and regular maintenance of the security system is one of the reason for the occurrence of the security decay at Antwerp World Diamond Centre. The case of AWDC also illustrates that if there the security system was regularly maintained and the code for the security system was changed every after few days, the intruder might not find the correct combination of code even if they have previous recordings. Thus, the effective PPS system of 10 layer protection vault and a lock code combination that has 10 million possible combination results in security decay (Economictimes.com, 2017). Thus, the effectiveness of the security system gets diminished and people of the AWDC started creating arguments regarding the security system.
The wrong intention of the internal people is also the reason for the ineffectiveness of the security system. In the concerned case, the tenant of the building is aware of the security system and all the floor details. The wrong motive of the person allows the intruders to take advantage of the security system and break all the highly secured programmed system with regular techniques. Kiszelewska and Coole (2013) argued that if the internal person remained compliant with his morale the robbery should never been occurred. Ludbey (2016) also stated that every organization should also consider that there might be the possibility that their employees can also be the reason for breaches and scandals.
Conclusion
Thus, it can be sated that the entire security system for the Antwerp Diamond heist case follows a five layer security protection system. All safety measures are taken into consideration like burglar alarms, heat and motion sensors, magnetic and electronic fields and a locker code that has 10 million possible combinations. However, in spite such security, the fifth level of the security system that is “improved emergency response” is not considered. The entire vault security system believed to be the safest place of the world and there were no guards and police for the protection of the valuable. This is the opportunity that a former tenant of the building took with four intruders and diamonds and gold worth of $10 million got stolen. It is also concluded from the assignment that is improper and irregular maintenance of the security system and complete belief on the internal members was the reason for the security decay that diminishes the effectiveness of the well-designed PPS.
References
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