Homelessness is not a crime. However, many of the issues associated with it can increase danger and threat levels for shopping centers. Inevitably, property owners and operators are facing pressures to provide better protection for their tenants and customers.
Around 8:00 one night, a ECAM security operator noticed someone loitering in front of a shopping center and behaving strangely. The individual appeared to be homeless. He was flailing his arms around and seemed agitated. Our monitoring operator activated the on-site speaker warning since there were still stores open in the area. When the subject didn’t leave, our operator called to dispatch police. Officers arrived on the property moments later and placed the individual under arrest.
Proactive Measures Can Help Resolve Homeless Issues at Your Shopping Center
Shopping centers are often viewed as public properties. Perhaps that is the reason so many people struggling with homelessness end up there. They are in close proximity to restrooms, food and constant activity. However, their mere presence can create safety issues for retailers, their staff and customers. It becomes crucial for property managers to make sure the proper security measures are in place to quickly address any problems.
Live video monitoring can help manage homelessness, thefts, vandalism and other unwanted activity at your shopping center by proactively watching for suspicious behaviors. Trained security professionals watch surveillance cameras in real time to monitor your property.
As you saw in the video, our monitoring operator activated an on-site speaker warning and called local authorities. Because we were watching suspicious activity in progress, police knew it wasn’t a false alarm. Officers were able to get to the shopping center while the individual was still there. Since some stores were still open, customers and employees could have potentially been in danger. Police were able to safely diffuse the situation before any damage occurred.
If you are interested in learning more about live video monitoring to help protect your retail center or any other type of commercial property, contact us.
