Loitering occurs when an individual lingers in a place, at a time and in a manner for no apparent reason. It can often be viewed as an insignificant offense. However, it could potentially lead to more egregious crimes.
Loitering is a big security concern for shopping centers. In this video, we caught three people hanging out in the dumpster area behind an Arizona retail center.
Around 1:30 in the morning, a Stealth Monitoring security professional saw someone rolling a red suitcase into the dumpster area behind an Arizona shopping center. The subject opened the gate and walked inside the enclosure, then shut the gate behind him. Moments later, two more individuals entered the scene. One was rolling a bike and the other was carrying a few items. The pair walked to the dumpster enclosure and went inside.
Our monitoring operator, still watching the activity, called to dispatch local police. Within minutes, two police SUVs arrived. As one was pulling up to the fence around the dumpster, one of the trespassers could be seen trying to escape by climbing over the retaining wall. The other two suspects started tossing items over the same wall.
The remaining pair was directed by an officer to exit the enclosure, which they did. The couple was then instructed to sit down. After some questioning, the two suspects were put in handcuffs and taken from the property.
Loitering Creates Security Concerns for Shopping Centers
When uninvited visitors loiter at your place of business, it could impact your public image and profitability. For starters, the sight of people camping out around your property could discourage customers who may not feel safe.
Another issue is crime. Even though some people congregating at your retail establishment are just looking for a place to hang out, others may be there for more nefarious reasons including theft and vandalism.
Help Deter Uninvited Visitors with Live Video Monitoring
Live video monitoring can help deter loiterers and other unwanted behavior at your shopping center. Trained security operators use analytics-based cameras to watch your property when you’re not there. When the analytics in the cameras spot something suspicious, they will alert one of our security professionals who can jump in, quickly assess the situation and take action.
In this video, that action meant calling to dispatch local authorities. Stealth has formed strong partnerships with local police forces throughout North America. When they receive a call from us, they know we are watching crimes in progress, so they typically elevate the priority level. This often results in police arriving on the scene while the suspects are still there.
When would-be-thieves and other uninvited guests know the property is being watched, they may be less likely to congregate or cause damage there.
If you would like more information about a proactive security solution like live video monitoring for your property, contact us.
