Is bike room theft an issue at your property?
Around 5:45 a.m., a Stealth security operator saw an individual wearing a backpack, force his way into the bike room in the parking garage of a California apartment community. Our operator contacted police immediately. The suspect was seen walking a bicycle out of the room. He was met by the officers who had arrived on the property. The individual was arrested and taken into custody.
Bike Ridership and Theft is on The Rise
A recent Los Angeles Times article reports that from March through the middle of June 2020, there was a 21% increase in bicycle ridership in the U.S. compared to the same time in 2019. They attribute the growth to the COVID 19 pandemic, as well as a rise in activism across the country. In fact, the coronavirus boosted bicycle sales so much that the U.S. has experienced a bike shortage. It’s the first one since the 1970s.
A rise in urban dwellers is also contributing to the boost of cyclists. Over the course of a decade, there was a 47 percent increase in bicycle commuters across major U.S. cities, per a study by the League of American Bicyclists.
Of course, with more ridership, comes the possibility of more bike theft. According to research compiled by Project 529, creator of the world’s largest bike registry in the world, a bicycle is stolen every 30 seconds in North America.
Many residents may feel safe storing their bikes in a semi-private area, like a bike room. However, they may be getting a false sense of security if your property doesn’t take the proper safety measures.
Help Deter Bike Room Theft at Your Multifamily Property
Bike rooms are a hot amenity right now at multifamily properties mainly for the reasons listed above. Providing one can help set your community apart. However, you need to make sure you have the right security measures in place. This means ensuring there is ample lighting, signage and access control. It should also include a proactive security solution like live video monitoring.
Live video monitoring works like this: Trained security operators monitor analytics-based surveillance cameras. When the cameras spot unusual activity, they alert the operator who can quickly review the situation and act accordingly. This can mean activating an on-site speaker warning and calling police, just as you saw in the video.
When local police departments receive a call from Stealth, they typically elevate the priority level because they know we are watching a crime in progress. This often results in a quicker resolution as criminals are often still on the property when officers arrive.
If you would like more information about how you can help provide a safe environment for your residents while saving up to 60 percent on your security spend, contact us.
