Car break-ins are a big problem in many urban areas. Statistically, vehicles are the least safe at night when parked in an area with low traffic. Parking garages are one such area that offer criminals ample opportunities.
At midnight, a trained Stealth Monitoring security professional, monitoring live surveillance cameras at a Houston apartment community, saw a black car drive into the parking garage. The vehicle proceeded to the 4th level and backed into a spot. The driver exited the car and began to walk around the garage, pulling on the door handles of every vehicle.
Our operator called to dispatch police. While our security professional was on the phone with local authorities, the trespasser managed to access three vehicles, one of which could clearly be seen by our monitoring operator.
Officers arrived on the scene just as the suspect was trying to leave the property. However, officers did intercept her and make an arrest.
How Live Video Monitoring Can Help Protect Your Parking Garage
Parking garages are prime targets for criminals, but there are things you can do to help keep the vehicles on your property safe. Enhanced lighting, access gates, perimeter fences and clear signage are starters.
To take a more proactive approach, you can utilize surveillance cameras and live video monitoring. The sight of cameras alone may be enough to deter some suspects. However, for the more determined criminals, having those cameras monitored in real time could be more effective.
Trained security professionals monitor live, analytics-based cameras to watch your property. If they see something suspicious, such as someone wandering the parking garage trying to access vehicles, they can take immediate action. In the case of this video, that meant calling local authorities.
When police receive a call from us, they know we are watching crimes in progress, so they typically elevate the priority level of the call. This often results in officers arriving while the suspect is still on site.
If you would like more information about a proactive security solution for your multifamily community, contact us.