It’s a running joke that the UK grinds to a halt with the first sign of bad weather.
A few snowflakes and suddenly planes are grounded, trains cancelled and schools close. But the most recent meteorological mayhem was no laughing matter. Freezing temperatures. Snow. Ice. Floods… January is certainly not pulling any punches. Of course, the beauty of modern remote working means that many people don’t have to brave the elements. But not everyone has that luxury… Advantage 1 officers included! (I would say that “you can’t stop a shoplifter from a computer screen,” but we are now working on doing just that with some of our customers!)
Even when half of the country was under water and snow drifts blocked roads, every single one of our guards still made it to work. Yep, I’m proud to confirm that our 100% shift coverage record remains firmly intact! And thank goodness, because the post-Christmas surge in crime hasn’t exactly been subtle… Unfortunately, it seems that even Arctic-level temperatures aren’t enough to deter scrupulous thieves from venturing out. Over the past few weeks, store break-ins have surged to levels I haven’t seen in decades.
Then again, we do expect a rise at this time. Cold weather tends to mean there are fewer people out and about in the evening, including fewer police patrols at night. Add dark evenings to the mix and you’ve got a thief’s paradise. But it’s not just overnight break-ins that are on the rise. After a relatively stable run-up to Christmas, shoplifting rates have also surged. It’s as if the moment the turkey leftovers vanished, so did any goodwill. Boxing Day saw a notable spike in theft and sadly the upward trend has continued throughout January.
Needless to say, this sharp uptick in criminal activity has been keeping us on our toes. We’ve increased our presence in high-risk areas, with guards (uniformed and plain clothed) being deployed wherever needed – no matter the weather. Speaking of which, my own village wasn’t spared from the recent downpours. I even helped push my neighbour’s car out of the flood water (great fun for Esme, less so for me!)… Well, if I have to get to work then I want to make sure everyone else can too!
The recent weather chaos has thrown us a few unusual jobs too. Just last week, we were called out to guard a Co-op Funeralcare flatbed lorry that was stranded in a flooded lane. Advantage 1 deployed an officer to guard the lane throughout the night (in sub-zero temperatures, I hasten to add) to ensure the marble headstones on board didn’t find their way into the wrong hands…
But even in the coldest moments, there are warm reminders of community spirit. Whilst many events were cancelled due to the fog and snow, Scott’s eldest son’s rugby match soldiered on. Parents showed up in droves, chipping in to clear the lines and ensure the game went ahead. Talk about grassroots sport at its finest! Although, with the fog so thick, I’m told there was some debate over whether that conversion actually went through the posts…
And yes, the cold weather finally forced Scott to don what he proudly calls his “winter shorts.” For clarification, these are just below the knee as opposed to his usual above-the-knee staples! Honestly! I wonder what it would take for him to wear a pair of trousers… An ice age perhaps!?! Whether it’s safeguarding stores, protecting headstones or battling flood waters, one thing is certain: January is off to a memorable start.
And no matter what 2025 throws our way, we’re ready.
Bring it on!