A 24 year-old man, apparently angry about a domestic problem, according to a Tulsa TV station, took his anger and frustration out on dozens of vehicles and smashed car windshields at several dealerships in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This included an Acura and Honda dealership. At least six businesses along a ten block stretch of Memorial Avenue become victims of the belt-wielding vandal, who used the buckle on his belt to gouge the vehicles and smashed car windshields.
The rampage ended when witnesses alerted the police; the quickly moving vandal was caught before he could do even more harm. The Acura dealership was one of the hardest hit businesses with 25 damaged vehicles with smashed car windshields and an estimated $20,000 in needed repairs. The General Manager of Acura said, “Some of those smashed car windshields are $1,100. It’s an acoustic windshield that keeps noise out. So those aren’t your regular windshields. It’s going to be extremely expensive to put those back in.” Until the extensive repairs are made, one-third of the dealership’s cars can’t be sold, leaving the General Manager worried about how his salesmen will be able to pay their bills and feed their families.
The general manager who runs the Honda division of an auto group; and had seven of the cars in his division damaged, said that while the smashed car windshields are frustrating, it could have been much worse. From his perspective, “I never met the young man, never met his girlfriend, but I’m glad he took it (out) on the cars…it could be human beings, and I would rather him take it out on the Honda vehicles.”
These general managers are used to dealing with weather issues and smashed car windshields, but vandalism isn‘t something they normally see. After dealing with the extensive, and expensive, damage caused by a young man armed only with a belt buckle, both men are looking at ways to prevent similar problems.
These dealerships are not clients of Stealth Monitoring. When Stealth operators see suspicious activity an audible warning can be activated and/or the local police called when warranted. Stealth Monitoring proactive live monitoring can help deter and reduce smashed car windshields and other vandalism and theft at your car dealership or business. If you would like to learn how to protect your business or dealership, contact us. Visit our web site and see actual videos of criminals being apprehended at car dealerships.
