Our R8 bollards successfully protect Teledyne from ram-raiders

With more than 25 years of experience to our name here at Bollard Security, we’re proud to offer an exceptional range of bollards and security solutions that protect a wide range of premises in a variety of settings, from residential to commercial and industrial. Earlier this year, the UK saw a particularly dramatic demonstration of some of our bollards’ abilities – specifically, our R8 telescopic bollards successfully defended a sensitive installation (in this case a weapons facility) from a ram-raiding attack by direct action group Palestine Action.

In case you missed it at the time, here’s what you need to know.

What happened at Teledyne?

At 5am on a grey Tuesday morning back in January, a van weighted with concrete was driven directly at a set of security gates at Teledyne, a defence technology factory in Shipley. However, contrary to reports at the time, the van in question never actually reached the gates, because it was stopped by a set of our sturdy R8 security bollards.

A 27-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman subsequently locked themselves to the concrete and refused to move, necessitating the intervention of specialist police units, as reported by the BBC.

It was the third time that Teledyne was targeted by Palestine Action – the group also caused £1m in losses to the company in by targeting another of its factories in Wales in 2022. Teledyne has found itself in the group’s crosshairs against the backdrop of continuing tensions in the Middle East, especially in Gaza. Palestine Action has specifically said that it’s targeting the company due to its licences to export weapons to Israel.

A closer look at the bollard that stopped the attack

The R8 telescopic bollard is classed as an anti-ram bollard, with a 7mm thick steel wall. It’s a high-spec security post designed to protect vehicles and property in both residential and commercial settings, and notably one of the few bollards on the UK market that meets the rigorous standards required for insurance approval. It holds both Sold Secure Gold and Secured by Design accreditations, which indicate that insurers recognise the R8 as offering a credible level of resistance against vehicle theft and ram-raid attacks – as indeed it has very capably demonstrated in this case.

The bollard itself is built from 7mm thick mild steel and hot-dip galvanised to resist rust and long-term wear, even in exposed outdoor environments. When upright, it stands at 670mm and retracts fully into the ground when not in use. It features a push-button lock system with anti-drill protection, and each unit comes with two coded keys that cannot be copied, ensuring that it can only be operated by authorised users.

In short, the Palestine Action incident has served to further reinforce the credentials of the R8 Heavy Duty Insurance Approved Telescopic Bollard, illustrating its exceptional robustness and security value, and demonstrating why it remains the perfect solution to protect even the most sensitive of commercial premises. What’s more, when you consider the extra weight of the cement in the van in this instance, which was probably intended to maximise the momentum of the vehicle, the R8’s impressive stopping power is likely to have prevented a significant amount of property damage, potentially running into the tens of thousands of pounds.

It’s just one of the many bollards we supply here at Bollard Security, and if you ever need any help or advice – either about the R8 or any of our other security solutions – you can always feel free to get in touch with our team. We have more than 15 years of experience in installing and maintaining security solutions across the UK for domestic, commercial, and industrial sectors, and we take pride in providing quality products that give our customers peace of mind. Don’t hesitate to contact us on 01535 920362 for advice and recommendations on the best Hydraulic Automatic Bollards or Telescopic Bollards for you!