Crimes are more likely to take place in parking facilities than most other kinds of locations. That makes what happens in this video commonplace.
In part one of the video, a ECAM security operator witnessed an individual casually strolling through a California apartment parking garage around 4:00 a.m. The suspect was trying to access the parked vehicles. Our operator activated the on-site speaker warning, then contacted police. Officers arrived, located the trespasser and placed him under arrest.
In part two, our monitoring operator spotted two people covering multiple floors in a parking garage, tugging on car door handles. The operator contacted police, as well as the guard on duty. However, the number for the guard was not working.
Finally, in the last section, an individual in a red hoodie was seen attempting to access multiple vehicles in an apartment parking garage. Our security operator contacted police who arrived and apprehended the suspect.
Why Are Parking Garages Prime Targets for Crime?
Parking garages are a criminal’s dream. What other location has such an array of vehicles left unattended, and often unlocked. Even if a car Is locked, a determined thief wouldn’t be above smashing out a window to steal something.
An article in a Tennessee news publication featured an interview between a police detective and an admitted vehicle burglar who shared his perspectives on what thieves are looking for. Here’s what he said, “Apartment complexes were good targets due to many cars in one area, plus there are not usually many surveillance cameras like in subdivisions.”
You Can Help Deter Crime in Your Parking Garage
It’s true that crime in parking garages is common and the security risks can be high. However, that doesn’t have to be the case.
Many multifamily communities have surveillance cameras in place to monitor their parking garages. Sometimes the sight of cameras is enough to ward off criminals. Sometimes it isn’t. Cameras can give residents a false sense of security. This may cause them to let their guard down and leave their vehicle unlocked or valuables inside. If no one is watching the cameras, there will likely be no knowledge of a theft until after the fact, and long after the criminals have left the property.
Live video monitoring is a proactive solution that helps deter crimes before they happen. Trained security operators watch analytics-based cameras in real time. If they see something suspicious they can activate speaker warnings at unwanted trespassers and call police with live reports.
When police receive a call from us, they know we are watching a crime in progress so, they typically elevate the priority level. This often means officers will arrive on the property while the criminals are still there.
Stealth has a video review team that will analyze footage from all relevant cameras to provide a concise summary of any incidents that occur on your property. This saves you valuable time and is beneficial in police investigations and liability issues.
With the right security measures in place, criminals will be less likely to choose your parking garage to conduct their business. For more information about a proactive security solution for your multifamily property, contact us.
