Do you know what’s happening on your rooftop?
In this video, a Stealth security operator spotted someone on the rooftop of a Dallas, Texas shopping center. The suspect was tampering with the surveillance cameras. Our operator immediately activated the on-site speaker warning and alerted local authorities. When officers arrived minutes later, they found the perpetrator on the ground holding two cameras. The suspect was taken into custody.
The Need for Rooftop Security
There are many ways thieves can get into a building. Breaking in through a window or door is probably what property owners and managers think of most, and that’s where they typically concentrate their security efforts. However, intruders can also enter through the roof.
Besides breaking and entering, criminals also target rooftops for valuable metal found in HVAC units, which are often housed up there. According to the Department of Energy, metals theft is a billion-dollar annual problem in the U.S.
If you have a commercial property and your HVAC units are hit, you could be faced with the loss of more than just the cost to fix the units. There could be other damage to your roof, as well as a loss of money generated by your daily operations should you have to shut down for replacements and repairs.
Who’s Watching Your Rooftop?
Many shopping centers and office buildings opt for security guards or patrols to monitor their property. While there’s a lot to be said about having human presence on your property, guards aren’t always the most effective solution, especially when it comes to protecting your rooftop.
For one thing, on-site guards cannot be everywhere at once. So, if something is happening in one part of your property while they are in another, they aren’t going to catch it. In addition, for safety reasons, guards don’t always patrol the roof, nor can they easily see it from the ground.
ECAM’s rooftop security solution uses a combination of analytics-based surveillance cameras and trained monitoring operators. The cameras can be placed on the roof and at other key points around your property. When the analytics detects activity it alerts the operator, who can then verify it and respond accordingly.
In a matter of only minutes, someone can steal from your property. In that same amount of time, someone watching your security cameras can alert police and get them on the scene.
If you would like more information about a proactive security solution for your commercial property, contact us.
