History
Sold Secure was established in 1992 by Northumbria and Essex Police who combined 2 initiatives, Sold Secure and Partnership Against Car Theft (PACT) to form Sold Secure with the help and backing of the Home Office.Sold Secure is now administered by the Master Locksmiths Association, in its premises adjacent to the MLA’s Head Office just outside Daventry.
Purpose
Sold Secure provides test and assessment services of effective security products to commercial customers, the insurance industry,the Home Office, the Police and the public and is a company dedicated to reducing the risk of theft by the assessment of security products. The scheme has close ties with a number of constabularies and insurers who provide regular information regarding the methods of theft and the tools utilised by criminals in their area. This helps to maintain an up to date specification and means security products can be assessed in the light of the risk they are likely to encounter when in use.
Testing, Assessment and Approval
Why Test?
Security product manufacturers make various claims with regards to the security of their products, but what do these claims actually mean? By developing relevant test specifications with the involvement of the relevant stakeholders (e.g. Police, Insurance, Industry Bodies etc.), as well as adopting relevant BS/EN test norms where appropriate, Sold Secure can test all products to these standards and provide the public with an understanding of how that product performs against the standard, as well as against any competitor products.
One of the main drivers for product testing is insurance recognition and recommendation. Many insurance companies understand the benefits of specifying Sold Secure products in reducing the likelihood of theft and the subsequent claim and will actively encourage their customers to use the products by giving discounts on policies where Sold Secure products are used or in some instances insisting that Sold Secure approved products are used in order to provide cover at all. The Association of Chief Police Officers own accreditation company Secured by Design also recognise the benefits of Sold Secure testing and use the approval as part of their accreditation process, thereby pointing a number of manufacturers our way for the attack testing to give SBD confirmation of the integrity of the product.
Manufacturers and suppliers can apply to have their products approved by Sold Secure. Products which have been satisfactorily assessed may bear the Sold Secure Quality Mark. The tests are carried out to strict criteria set out in Attack Specifications drawn up in conjunction with interested parties, such as insurers, police forces as well as industry specific organisations such as the Caravan and Motorhome Club for example. The testing is carried out in-house with a team of approved testers, all of whom are Master Locksmiths in their own right or experts in their field. By using this highly experienced team of testers it is possible not only to ensure continuity but also to act as a “worse case” type scenario due to the significant product knowledge and attack methods knowledge held by the group.
Many of the Stronghold products carry Gold Sold Secure Approvals.