GB2570273A - Security Method - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of and apparatus for protecting a container against unauthorised access comprising locating within the containment containing a traceable security composition which comprises a carrier liquid, a polymer, a light-emitting material and a marker material wherein an attack on the container will rupture the containment dispersing the traceable security composition. Preferably the containment is a flexible pouch which is secured to the container using a magnet. The pouch may be a low permeability polymeric material and it may have internal chambers to help disperse the fluid. The security liquid is preferably a gel. The polymer may have an adhesive quality and could be an anionic acrylate copolymer, polyacrylate, polyacetate or polystyrene. The marker material may comprise alkali earth metals, d-block metals, p-block metals, lanthanides or transition metals, it could also be organic such as tetrahydrocarbazole derivatives. The light-emitting material may be fluorescent or photoluminescent. There is no triggering device included, the bag is ruptured when the container is attacked, e.g. an ATM under a drag out attack.

Description

(57) A method of and apparatus for protecting a container against unauthorised access comprising locating within the containment containing a traceable security composition which comprises a carrier liquid, a polymer, a light-emitting material and a marker material wherein an attack on the container will rupture the containment dispersing the traceable security composition. Preferably the containment is a flexible pouch which is secured to the container using a magnet. The pouch may be a low permeability polymeric material and it may have internal chambers to help disperse the fluid. The security liquid is preferably a gel. The polymer may have an adhesive quality and could be an anionic acrylate copolymer, polyacrylate, polyacetate or polystyrene. The marker material may comprise alkali earth metals, d-block metals, p-block metals, lanthanides or transition metals, it could also be organic such as tetrahydrocarbazole derivatives. The light-emitting material may be fluorescent or photoluminescent. There is no triggering device included, the bag is ruptured when the container is attacked, e.g. an ATM under a drag out attack.

/ ¹ Figure 1

At least one drawing originally filed was informal and the print reproduced here is taken from a later filed formal copy.

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Figure 1

SECURITY METHOD

This invention relates to a security method, in particular to a method of protecting a container against unauthorised access, to a method of deterring unauthorised access to a container especially where the container is located in or accessible from a public place and has valuable contents such as legal tender and to a method of tracing property removed without authorisation from such a container or identifying an individual involved in such unauthorised removal. The invention is especially useful in protecting and deterring unauthorised access to automatic teller machines (ATM), parking meters, ticket machines and portable cases and the like.

Recent decades have seen an ever-increasing tendency for the automation of services for dispensing currency, tickets and other valuable items by the provision of unmanned dispensing containers which are readily accessible to the public. Containers having valuable contents such as currency, tickets and other items of value or monetary worth are widely utilised to replace manned dispensing points and to enable the public to conveniently acquire such contents whenever desired. Portable containers are also widely used to transfer currency and valuables in public places, for example collection or delivery of currency ATMs. Where such containers have contents of value, whether the contents are intended to be legitimately dispensed,such as ATMs or contain currency deposited by users in return for dispensing items to the user such as ticket machines and parking meters or is in transit, theft of the contents remains a perennial problem.

A need remains to provide an effective deterrent to such activity and also to provide a means of tracing stolen property or persons responsible for such theft.

Many methods of gaining unauthorised access have been employed to physically remove, deform, destroy or otherwise compromise the container thereby enabling unauthorised access including physical attack using implements such sledge-hammers, picks, chain-saws, levers, axes and a wide range of other implements.

In another known method, containers may also be compromised by gaining access to the internal volume of the container by drilling a hole from which locking mechanisms may be undone to allow access via a lockable panel or door.

ATMs are particular targets for criminals due to the large quantities of currency contained therein. ATMs may be attacked by drilling to gain access to gain access to internal electronic apparatus which controls the dispensing of currency. This method allows a criminal to bypass typical security access means by which users may be uniquely identified, for example a bank card and PIN combination, and by connecting appropriate electronic means, for example a laptop computer, to request currency to be dispensed at will.

ATMs are also attacked by seeking to physically remove the whole ATM assembly from the location, typically a wall in a building, using vehicles such as loaders, diggers or the like or powerful towing vehicles such as large four-wheel drive vehicles to separate the ATM from its housing in a so-called “drag-out” attack. The criminal may then remove the dislodged ATM to a remote location to then gain access to the currency contained in the ATM.

In another method, a combustible gas, such as propane, butane or oxy-acetylene may be fed into the internal volume of the ATM and ignited thereby causing an explosion and affording access to the contents of the ATM. Attempts to counter this threat have involved the use of diluent gases or other materials to render reduce the likelihood of combustion of gases introduced illicitly to the container.

Explosions usually also involve generation of high temperatures which may destroy or compromise known security marking products, particularly those relying on organic markers for example DNA-type markers.

As well as enabling theft, such activity may cause major damage to the building in which the ATM is located and risk of injury or death to personnel located within the building in which the ATM is housed. Deference of such activity is therefore important as regards protecting property but especially from the perspective of protecting against injury or death or, where such activity occurs, in providing a method of tracing the perpetrators and providing an evidentiary link to the crime.

A range of security measures have been employed to counter such methods including use of warning alarms, remotely-monitored alarms, video surveillance in the vicinity or remotely and other electronically-controlled means. Sprays containing stains, dyes and the like are known and may be activated electronically upon attempted unauthorised access for example as disclosed in WO 93/07233 and marking systenms to indelibly mark property are known, for example as described in WO 2012/175969.

Where a power supply is disconnected or otherwise disconnected or deactivated, electronically powered security measures may similarly be deactivated or compromised. Furthermore such security measures may aid in act as a deterrent to a degree or alerting security or police services but provides either no threat or a limited threat of rendering the criminal or property traceable.

In assessing the type of security measures to adequately protect a container from attack or to deter a would-be attacker, the particular mode of attack is obviously not known.

A need remains to provide a method of protecting a container from a range of putative modes of attack which is not reliant on a source of power and which provides a means of tracing property and criminals.

The present invention provides a method of protecting a container defining an internal volume against unauthorised access comprising locating within the internal volume a security containment containing a traceable security composition which comprises a carrier liquid, a polymer, a light-emitting material and a marker material wherein the containment is located at such a position that unauthorised access to the container will rupture the containment dispersing the traceable security composition.

The security containment provides a method of detering unauthorised access to a container having a security containment disposed and enables identification of the contents of such a container removed without authorisation, persons involved in such unauthorised removal and/or apparatus or tooling used in the process of unauthorised removal.

Advantageously, the method of the invention affords a security benefit irrespective of the particular mode buy which unauthorised access may be attempted. The the security containment does not require power to provide a security function or to enable traceability. Should unauthorised access be attempted by drilling, suitable placement of the security containment will lead to the containment being ruptured and the security composition being dispersed onto the tooling or quipment and desirably the individual operating the equipment. Similarly, where an attempt is made to “drag-out” the container, the security containment will suitably rupture and the securtity composition be deposited on the apparatus used. Further, the security containment will be ruptured should an attempt be made to gain unauthorised access by explosion and lead to the security composition coating the contents of the container and the vicinity, rendering the contents traceable.

The security containment comprising the traceable security composition may be located at any desired point within the container. ATMs typically comprise cash cassette carriages in which currency to be dispensed is located. The security containment may be located adjacent to the carriages, against a wall or part of the container which, when in situ, will be adjacent to an area to which the public has access, for example agaoinst a wall in the container which faces or is in the locus of an external wall of a building within which the container is located.

The container may comprise a security containment which defines a curtain disposed within the container to provide a screen, for example a substantially vertical screen, between an area to which the public has access and the contents of the container. In one embodiment, the curtain may encircle the contents of the container in whole or in part.

The container suitably has a user interface for example a keypad or card access orifice typically located on a fascia. The user interface or fascia of an ATM may be susceptible to attempts at gaining unauthorised entry. In a further embodiment, the containment is disposed at a location behind the fascia of an ATM, under a keypad or behind a card access orifice such that an attempt to gain unauthorised access to the ATM will cause the security containment to rupture.

The security containment is suitably in the form of package which may be conformed to a desired shape or surface. In one preferred embodiment, the security containment comprises a pouch containing the marker composition. The pouch preferably comprises two sheets of plastics material which are bonded about their peripheries to provide a pouch to contain the security composition.

Suitably, the containment is made from a low permeability polymeric material. Suitable polymers for forming the pouch are polymers having a density in the range of 300-800 g/m², for example a 300-800 g/m² polyethylene.

The containment may contain internal walls to define separate chambers within which the security compostiopn is disposed to provide a means of ensuring reasonable uniformity of dispersion of the compositon within the container and to reduce the risk of “pooling” of the composition in lower areas when located in the container.

The containment may be suitably shaped to conform to the environment or surface in which it is to be used.

The security containment is suitably securable to a surface whereby it may be located and remain in position. The containment may comprise securing means, for example a magnetic portion, for example a magnetic strip, or an array of magnetic portions to allow the containment to be located in desired location within the inner volume of the container. The securing means are disposed in such a manner and of adequate strength to support the weight of the security containment and ensure it remains in the desired location without being accidentally dislodged for example during maintenance or replenishment of the container.

The containment may be provided in any desired shape according to the particular configuration of the container which it is intended to protect.

Suitably the security composition is in the form of a gel. Advantageously, a gel, being more viscous than a liquid, allows the security containment to have a self-supporting form such that when disposed in the container in use, the containment retains its physical conformation.

In a preferred embodiment the security composition comprises a carrier liquid, an adhesive polymer, a thickener, a light-emitting material and a marker material.

Preferably, the security composition comprises a plurality of marker materials to provide a unique identifier. A reference sample of the security composition is suitably stored separately of the security containment such that once the composition is released from the containment, the released composition may be analysed and compared with the remotely stored reference sample to indicate a common source to a degree of certainty sufficient to provide evidential weight in legal proceedings. In this way the security composition provides traceability of the property or persons upon which it has been found to the location of the compromised container.

The security composition is suitably prepared in a series of batches by a method comprising by a mixing a polymer, optionally a thickener and a solution comprising a plurality of marker materials wherein the composition of the marker materials in each batch is different. The light-emitting material may be mixed with the other components of the security composition prior to or after addition of the marker materials.

In a preferred embodiment, the security composition comprises a liquid, a polymer, a thickener, a light-emitting material and a plurality of marker materials.

Suitably, the gel composition is of such a viscolisty that it is transferrable from one surface to another when wet. Upon drying, the composition may form a film onto the surface it has transferred onto and may merge into the fibres of clothing and/or dry onto hair or skin and so remain in-situ for some extended period of time, thereby facilitating traceability.

The composition contains one or more polymers and one or more liquid materials and the composition may be a liquid or, preferably, a gel. The composition may have a viscosity of at least about 2000 Pa.s., optionally about 2,000-100,000 Pa.s. or it may be non-Newtonian.

It will be understood by the skilled person that a gel is a semi-solid, or jelly-like, colloidal suspension of a solid, preferably a polymer, dispersed in a liquid.

The composition contains at least one marker material that may be used to identify a location or an object associated with the security composition. Preferably, the composition further contains a light-emitting material, preferably a photoluminescent material, to facilitate detection of the composition.

The polymer in the composition may have an adhesive property or the composition may comprise a further polymer acting as an adhesive to facilitate adherence of the composition to tools, contents of the container or indivivudals involved in gaining unauthorised access to the container.

The liquid of the composition may be a single liquid material or a mixture of liquid materials. The one or more polymers, the one or more light-emitting materials and the one or more markers may be dissolved or dispersed in the liquid.

The term “liquid” or “liquid material” as used herein is a material that is liquid 20° C., and that the liquid when mixed with other components of the composition may form part of a gel. One or more components of the composition may be dissolved in the liquid.

Suitably, the liquid is aqueous and may comprise water or may consist consists of water. Other suitable liquids that may be included in the composition include alcohols, preferably alcohols having a boiling point of less than 100° C., for example propanol and esters, for example glycerol trioleate or isopropyl myristate.

The security composition contains at least one polymer for forming a viscous composition with the liquid such that the composition transfers readily onto an object or individual corning into contact with the composition. The at least one polymer and the liquid may together form a gel.

If the composition is a gel then the polymer or polymers of the gel may be selected from a wide range of known gel-forming polymers.

The polymer may be selected according to its adhesive properties to facilitate adhesion of the composition onto a surface that the composition is transferred to.

Suitable polymers for altering the rheology of the composition include cellulose derivatives, acrylic co-polymer derivatives or alkali acrylic emulsions that swell when in contact with water. Preferably, the polymers comprises an anionic acrylate.

The adhesive polymer, where present, is preferably present in a concentration of 0.5-20 weight % of the composition, optionally about 1-10 wt % or about 2-5 wt %.

The presence of the polymer may enable formation of a resilient surface coating on a marked object upon transfer drying.

The composition may contain only one polymer for modifying the rheology of the composition, or it may contain one or more further polymers, for example a polymer for improving adhesion of the polymer.

Suitable polymers with good adhesive properties include polyacrylates and polyacetates and polystyrenes, for example polymethyl methacrylate and polystyrenebutadiene.

The polymer may be present in the composition a t a level of 0.1-80 weight % of the composition, preferably 2-70 wt %, for example at 2-20 wt %.

The composition comprises one or more marker materials that may be identified using known analytical techniques including, without limitation, spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques, for example mass spectrometry, atomic emission spectroscopy, laser induced breakdown spectroscopy, gas chromatography and gel electrophoresis.

A unique marker composition may be formed by varying parameters including, without limitation, identity of a marker; combination of different marker materials; concentration of an individual marker within the composition; and relative concentrations of two marker materials.

The composition may contain a single marker material, but preferably contains a plurality of different marker materials at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five or at least ten, at least twenty different marker materials. Optionally, the composition comprises up to forty or up to thirty different marker materials.

The greater the number of marker materials used, the greater the number of unique combinations available for use. Furthermore, a greater number of marker materials in a composition may provide a greater degree of certainty in identification of the source of the composition.

Provision of multiple markers enables many batches to be produced, each of which has its own unique “fingerprint”. Where more than 20 markers are employed, many millions of combinations of the different markers may be produced thereby providing statistical certainty of a match between a reference sample of the marker batch and a marker sample found from compromise of a container which enables traceability and linking of tools, contents or individuals to a crime-scene..

Concentration of marker materials may be measured by ICP-mass spectrometry or ICP atomic emission spectroscopy as a weight per volume of the marker material.

The concentration of marker materials may be between 0.0000001%-15% (1 ppb150,000 ppm) for each component, optionally 5-100,000 ppm, optionally 100-10,000 ppm. Optionally each marker material is provided in an amount of at least 25 ppm, optionally at least 50 ppm.

A marker composition may be formed as described in GB-A-2413674, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The formulation of unique combinations of marker materials can be prepared using a binary method; however other methods comprising octal and hexadecimal strings can also be used. Each marker composition is held on a database of forensic codes and assigned to a specific owner and/or location. With this database, forensic analysis of a marker composition on an object or on a suspected offender can be used to identify the owner of a marked object or the location at which an offence occurred.

Preferably, the or each marker is an uncommon material provided at a concentration that would not normally be present in the field of use.

The marker material may comprise inorganic materials, for example a metal or metal compound and/or organic materials.

Examples of organic marker compounds include, tetrahydrocarbazole derivatives and methoxybenzonitrile derivatives.

Whilst organic materials, for example complex materials such as nucleic acid sequnces, proteins and the like may be employed, organic materials may be rendered ineffective if subjected to a process which alters or destroys the structure of the compound.

Preferably, the marker material comprises a metal, preferably selected from an alkali earth metal, a d-block metal, a lanthanide, for example Lanthanum, Europium and Holmium; and a p-block metal, for example Tellurium and Gallium.

The or each marker material may be dissolved or dispersed in the composition. Preferably, the or each marker material is dissolved and the metal salt may be selected accordingly. Exemplary metal compound markers include metal oxides, metal triflates, metal halides, metal nitrates, metal sulfates, and metal sulfides.

The composition preferably contains at least one light-emitting material, preferably a photoluminescent light-emitting material. The or each light-emitting material may independently be fluorescent or phosphorescent. This material can act as a preliminary indicator to indicate the presence of the composition on persons, goods, premises or other property. Upon preliminary identification, the composition may be analysed in detail to identify the markers in the composition.

This indicator can be either overt and/or covert.

Overt indicators emit light in the visible wavelength that can be seen without any apparatus and may be selected from, for example, microdots, pigments and dyes.

Covert indicators can be viewed only with the use of a suitable stimulus, for example photoluminescent materials that only emit visible radiation when excited by radiation other than visible light, for example upon excitation with a UV lamp.

Preferably, the light-emitting material is soluble in the liquid of the composition.

More than one light-emitting material may be present in the composition, for example materials that emit radiation of different wavelengths, for initial identification of the composition.

Exemplary covert indicators are coumarins, oxazinones, stilbenes, fluoresceins and derivatives thereof. Coumarins, oxazinones, stilbenes and derivatives thereof are preferred.

The or each light-emitting material may be used in a concentration of between 0.05 to 40% by weight of the composition.

The pH of such a solution is preferably non-acidic, with a preferred pH value of about 7-

12.

The security containments may be used in conjunction with appropriate signage and warning notices. Such signage offers a deterent effect to would-be thieves or unauthorised personnel about the presence of the security composition and the risk of being marked with the composition should they attempt to gain unauthorisded access to the container.

The invention is illustrated in the illustrative accompanying figure in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a container protected by a security containment according to the method of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a container (1) which is an ATM. One side of the ATM includes an access door (2) and a wall (3) which, when in situ, will be adjacent to an area from which the public may use the ATM. The wall (3) contains a facia and user interface on its outside face (not shown). The container includes cash cassette cariages (4) which, in use are loaded with paper currency. A security containment (5) in the form of a pouch is disposed within the container and interposed between the wall (3) and the cash cassette carriages (4). The containment (5) is shown with shading and a part of its perpheral edge behind the carriages (4) is shown as a dashed line. The ontainment may be moulded to conform to countours on the wall or may be located on the rear side of the carriages (4) and conformed to the shape thereof. The containment may comprise multiple internal chambers to ensure the security composition remains disposed across the full area of the containment (5). The containment (5) is secured to the wall (3) or carrioages (4) by magnetic strips (not shown).

The invention is illustrated by the following non-limiting examples.

EXAMPLES

Production of a 1 Litre Volume of Gel:

Water soluble salts of a mixture transition metals including lanthanides and gallium were prepared, dissolved in 800 mL deionised water in a concentration of 100 ppm per metal salt and the pH adjusted to 8 pH units using 0.1 M sodium hydroxide. 50 mL of an acrylate based polymer Mowilith LDM 7709 (already suspended in a concentration of 60% in water) was added and the solution 40 mL of BASF Viscalex HV30 rheology modifier was added. The volume of the solution was increased by addition of a further 50 mL of water and the final pH adjusted to 8-9 pH units using 0.1M sodium hydroxide. A fluorescent material (as a 0.7% overall concentration in the solution) and fungicide were added along with more water to bring the volume to 1 Litre. This emulsion was shaken vigorously to produce a thick gel.

Claims (22)

1. A method of protecting a container defining an internal volume against unauthorised access comprising locating within the internal volume a security containment containing a traceable security composition which comprises a carrier liquid, a polymer, a light-emitting material and a marker material wherein the containment is located at such a position that unauthorised access to the container will rupture the containment dispersing the traceable security composition.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the container is selected from an automatic teller machine (ATM), a parking meter, a ticket machine, a portable security containers.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the security containment is located in apposition such that, when in situ, the containment will be adjacent to an area to which the public has access.

4. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the security containment which defines a curtain within the container providing a screen between the contents of the container and an area to which, in use, the public has access.

5. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the container has a user interface and the security containment is located in the internal volume adjacent to the user interface.

6. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the security containment is in the form of flexible package adapted to be conformed to a desired shape or surface in the internal volume of the container.

7. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the security containment comprises a pouch containing the marker composition.

8. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the security containment comprises internal walls to define separate chambers within which the security compostion is disposed.

9. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the security containment comprises securing means.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein the securing means comprises a magnetic portion or an array of magnetic portions.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein the securing means comprises a magnetic portion comprises a magnetic strip, or an array of magnetic strips.

12. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the security containment contains a composition comprising a mixture of a liquid, a polymer, a light-emitting material and a plurality of marker materials.

13. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the composition is a gel.

14. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the polymer is present at a level of 0.1-80 weight % of the composition.

15. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the polymer is an anionic acrylate copolymer.

16. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the marker material is selected from an inorganic material and an organic compound.

17. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the marker material comprises a transition metal.

18. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the marker material is selected from alkali earth metals, d-block metals, lanthanides and p-block metals.

19. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the marker material comprises at least one lanthanide compound.

20. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each marker is provided in a concentration in the range of 1 ppb-150,000 ppm.

21. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the polymer is selected from polyacrylates, polyacrylates and polyacetates and polystyrenes.

5

22. An automatic teller machine (ATM), a parking meter, a ticket machine, a portable security container defining an internal volume which is adapted to house a valuable product and comprising a security containment as defined in any one of the preceding claims which containment contains a traceable security composition which comprises a carrier liquid, a polymer, a light-emitting material 10 and a marker material and wherein the containment is located at such a position