When you own or operate an automotive dealership, your main goal is to sell and service customer vehicles. However, while working hard to attract customers to your lot, you often do not present a very hardened target against theft, therefore drawing criminals in after hours. In this video, a trespasser entered a dealership lot and then an unlocked vehicle.
Late one night, after business hours, an individual was seen running onto an automotive dealership lot. He approached a white Ford Fusion and pulled on the door handle. When the locked door didn’t open, he turned around and attempted to open the driver’s side door of a red Jeep Cherokee that was parked next to the Fusion. The trespasser was successful and gained entry into the vehicle.
A trained Stealth security professional, who was alerted by advanced analytics, started monitoring the property and followed site protocols; calling local dispatch to send the police during this crime in progress. The monitoring operator alerted dispatch as to the suspect’s location. When the first responding officer arrived, he approached the Jeep and peered into the back passenger-side window, before walking around to the driver’s side. Next, a second officer entered the camera’s view as they surrounded the suspect.
The officers eventually handcuffed the suspect, escorted him from the property and placed him into their vehicle.
Help Prevent Vehicle Theft with Remote Video Monitoring
According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), thieves stole more than 880,000 vehicles in 2020. That’s about a 10 percent increase from 2019. In addition to entire vehicles, criminals have also been after valuable parts, specifically catalytic converters, tires and wheels.
With theft on the rise, dealerships are becoming more vulnerable. Fortunately, you can take proactive steps to help make your lot less attractive to criminals. One of the most effective ways is to utilize a remote video monitoring solution. ECAM uses solutions-driven technology to provide real-time, interactive monitoring, to help stop crimes in progress and before damage can happen.
As you saw in the video, a trained security professional who was monitoring analytics-based security cameras, was alerted to an intruder on the dealership lot. The monitoring operator quickly assessed the situation, acted according to the site’s protocol and called to dispatch police. Officers arrived while the suspect was still there, helping to prevent loss or potential damage.
If you would like more information about a proactive security solution for your automotive dealership, contact us.
