ACCESS CONTROL aims to reduce or restrict access to spaces, places, buildings and containers to prevent offenders reaching your property.

Usually these would involve anti-burglary measures such as door locks and more sophisticated door entry systems (using, for example, fobs, phones or codes… or even facial / iris / fingerprint recognition technology). Keys and swipe cards are obvious symbols of access control but the concept can be thought about more imaginatively linked to defensible space boundary markers – both symbolic and real.

Stop Thief Chairs
2001
Design Against Crime Research Centre

The ‘personal defensible space’ of the Stop Thief chair could be used to deny thieves access to bags by creating an enclosure formed by the chair and the owner’s legs. Being located at the genital region it would also boost the owner’s scope and motivation for surveillance and increase perceived risk (and embarrassment) for the offender.

Stop Thief Chairs are designed to improve the safety and comfort of customers in restaurants by allowing them to secure their bags to the seat whilst also keeping the floor clear of obstruction. The prototype chairs are designed to look like iconic ‘designer’ chairs, chosen to blend in with the overall surroundings of restaurants in Covent Garden and Central London where they were originally tested.