Vehicle thefts and related crimes are at a shocking high across the country. According to northjersey.com, car thefts are at a “near-epidemic level,” in New Jersey with approximately 15,644 cars stolen in 2022- over 4,000 more than 2020. The NICB, or National Insurance Crime Bureau, revealed that 2022 nationwide vehicle thefts surpassed 1,000,000 for the first time since 2008- a 7% increase over 2021. The states leading the pack with the most thefts? California and Texas.
In this Arrest of the Month video, two potential car thieves targeted a California multifamily community’s parking facilities looking for a score- unfortunately for them, Stealth was watching.
At approximately 1:37 a.m., a pair of prowlers were observed on surveillance accessing multiple vehicles in a California apartment community’s parking garage. Stealth security operators spotted the pair and immediately activated audible alarms and contacted local law enforcement due to the nature of the activity being observed. An onsite security officer was also contacted. Local police responded to the site quickly and were able to locate and arrest the prowling pair within minutes. The onsite security officer was not observed on camera.
Proactive Security can Help Deter Thieves and Other Criminals in Your Community
According to FBI data, in 2020 alone, Americans suffered $7.4 billion in losses due to motor vehicle thefts– and that’s without considering the costs of other crimes often associated with these thefts, such as robberies, burglaries, and drive-by shootings, which are often committed by criminals using stolen vehicles.
It’s no surprise then, that safety and security of both residents and their property is top-of-mind for multifamily community property managers and owners, along with the residents of these communities. Car thieves often target parking facilities, garages, and lots due to the ability to access multiple vehicles quickly. Residents want to feel assured that their property is safe when parked at home, and security is a major consideration for many when choosing a community to reside in.
Stealth’s live video monitoring is a game-changer. Unlike typical reactive security measures that wait for an event to have occurred before responding, Stealth takes a proactive approach using a combination of video analytics and human intelligence to watch for unusual activity, responding in real-time, and contacting police quickly when necessary. Operators can also sound onsite speaker warnings, which alone can often be enough to scare off potential criminals, who have no idea the target they’ve selected is being monitored.
Best of all, our systems can be customized and implemented for incredibly effective security that costs up to 60% less than traditional guards. Interested in learning more about how our innovative and proactive security solutions can help protect your property? Contact us today and speak with a multifamily residential security expert. Texas Private Security License Number: B14187.
