What happened at the Crédit Agricole branch in Naples is not just a news story, but a concrete case highlighting an increasingly widespread issue: the underestimation of perimeter security in modern protection systems.

An organized group managed to plan and execute a complex operation, accessing the premises through a tunnel dug underground and connected to the sewer system. An activity that lasted months, carried out without being detected, until the moment of action. This scenario highlights a fundamental point: the absence, or inadequacy, of true perimeter systems.

In recent years, the idea has spread that intelligent cameras, video analytics, and artificial intelligence can alone represent a complete security system. However, video surveillance remains an observation tool, not a perimeter intrusion detection system.

When an intrusion occurs outside the field of view, such as in underground access points or along the physical perimeter, cameras are unable to detect the threat in advance. It is precisely in these scenarios that perimeter security becomes crucial.

Historically, the protection of high-risk sites such as bank vaults, logistics centers, and critical infrastructures has relied on specific perimeter intrusion detection technologies.

These include:

• microphonic cable systems
• piezoelectric sensors
• fiber optic technologies for vibration detection
• software solutions for integrating multiple layers of perimeter security

These perimeter systems are designed to detect intrusion attempts at an early stage, when the attacker is still outside or attempting to breach the physical perimeter. Their function is not simply to signal an event, but to prevent intrusion before it becomes a real risk to people and assets.

In recent years, there has been a gradual erosion of perimeter security culture. In many cases, complex and layered systems have been replaced by simplified solutions, often based solely on visibility.

This shift has led to:

• reduced effectiveness of perimeter intrusion detection systems
• a false sense of security
• greater exposure to structured and organized threats

The consequence is clear: when a solid perimeter system infrastructure is missing, even the most advanced technologies are not enough.

It is important to clarify that today perimeter security is not limited to theft prevention.

An effective perimeter intrusion detection system contributes to:

• protecting corporate assets
• ensuring people’s safety
• guaranteeing business continuity
• safeguarding corporate reputation

In this case, all these elements were put at risk.

The Naples incident demonstrates that security cannot be reduced to a set of isolated technologies. It is necessary to return to an integrated approach, where perimeter security and perimeter systems represent the first line of defense.

Investing in perimeter intrusion detection solutions is not optional, but a strategic component for any organization that truly wants to protect its sites.