When you’re trying to prevent thefts from happening at a car dealership, video surveillance by itself isn’t enough. While video surveillance can record criminal activity and losses, the ideal approach is to keep yourself from losing anything at all. Here’s an example of a recent theft at an auto dealership in Florida that demonstrates this principle.
Car Dealership Video Surveillance
Thieves stole 6 vehicles from a dealership in West Melbourne, Florida a few weeks ago, as well as keys, that were worth around $20,0000. The entire theft, which involved multiple thieves, was caught completely on a camera.
The theft and break-in consisted of teenagers throwing a brick through the dealership window, finding keys, and then matching them to the cars. This process took some time. Some of the cars were recovered after the fact. But many of them were found with broken windows and other damage. The other vehicles were never found.
In this incident passive video surveillance did nothing to deter the crime and stop the car thieves. Studies have shown that video cameras need to be visibly advertised and proactively monitored in real-time to reduce crime. In addition thieves often run away when monitoring operators sound an audible warning that alerts them that their break-in is being watched and police are being dispatched.
This dealership was not a Stealth Monitoring client. Stealth Monitoring provides proactive live video surveillance with real-time monitoring. Our trained operators watch your cameras and can take action when they see trespassers or crimes in progress. For more information about how live surveillance can protect your car dealership, please contact Stealth Monitoring today.