One of the most common and difficult to eradicate issues for shopping and retail centers is loitering. Striking the delicate balance between creating a welcoming environment for customers and tenants to shop and do business while discouraging those simply hanging around with no intention of either activity can be tough.
Loitering in and of itself is not always a crime- but it can absolutely lead to additional security issues and concerns, particularly when drugs or alcohol are involved.
In this video, it’s 10:19 a.m. at a California shopping center when Stealth security professionals notice that a pair of individuals loitering on property appear to be up to something suspicious. The pair pulled their bicycles up to the vicinity of a column, ducking behind it to smoke an unknown substance, clearly unaware they were visible on camera.
Onsite warning speakers were activated, and local law enforcement dispatch was contacted as well due to the nature of the activity being observed. Moments later, a responding officer can be seen making contact with the individuals, conducting what appeared to be a body search on one of them. One of the loiterers was ultimately released while the second was taken into police custody.
Help Keep Your Shopping and Retail Tenants and Their Clientele Secure with Proactive Security Solutions
Every shopping center is different, and each presents unique security challenges. There are a wide range of variables to consider when designing security solutions for these commercial properties, including entrance and exit hot spots, historical property damages, density of the location, existing security systems or guard expenses, tenant mix and specific needs, demographics, foot traffic, and local population habits, among others.
Stealth’s live video monitoring solution is proactive, customizable, and cameras can be strategically placed throughout the property in a variety of coverage areas, including back alleys, storefronts, parking facilities, and even rooftops. Using a combination of video analytics and human intelligence, our trained security professionals monitor site activities in real time and can use onsite warning speakers to inform trespassers and other unwanted loiterers that they’re being watched and that officers are on the way.
The speakers alone can be an effective deterrent, as many of those committing criminal acts or are planning to, are unaware they’re being watched. In the event that additional action is needed, trained operators contact local law enforcement dispatch and inform them of the incident as it is occurring, with real-time data about suspects, descriptions, and locations.
Officers typically prioritize our calls thanks to the live updates, and just as in the case above, often arrive onsite while suspects are still in the area.
Interested in learning more? Contact us today and get the details on how you can save from 25-60% on security costs while still receiving high-quality, effective security that minimizes liability and helps to deter and disperse criminal and other unwanted activity as it happens. Texas Private Security License Number: B14187.
