Worried about the rising tide of vehicle theft at your dealership? You have every reason to be concerned and focused on dealership security. According to a Forbes article, auto thefts rose 34 percent in the first half of 2023.
The situation takes a more alarming turn when considering the data from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), which discloses that auto thefts in 2022 surpassed the 1 million mark. This denotes the first time since 2008 that such a staggering number of thefts occurred, a year associated with the financial crisis and the onset of the Great Recession.
The implications for automotive dealerships are clear. They need to bolster security measures to safeguard against potential reputation-damaging incidents and financial repercussions. The good news? Enhancing your dealership’s security doesn’t have to be a high-priced undertaking. Here’s a review of a comprehensive set of 16 practical, budget-friendly tips designed to fortify your dealership against the threat of vehicle theft.
1. Think Bright Lights, Safe Nights
Illuminate your dealership like a beacon of safety. Adequate lighting is more than a deterrent. It’s a critical element for securing your premises. Strategically placed lights create an environment that discourages criminal activity after hours, acting as a powerful first line of defense.
Well-lit showrooms and car lots send a clear message to potential thieves that the dealership is vigilant and protected. In addition to enhancing dealership security, proper lighting contributes to a safer atmosphere for customers and staff. It shows the dealership’s commitment to a secure and welcoming automotive environment while boosting the customer experience.
2. Put Eyes in the Sky
Elevate your dealership security game with a comprehensive network of video surveillance cameras. More than a mere luxury, security cameras can provide a necessary and impactful layer of protection.
Beyond their immediate prevention effect, the recorded footage becomes an invaluable asset for different purposes. Whether it’s aiding police investigations, facilitating insurance claims, or conducting internal reviews, security cameras can offer peace of mind and accountability. They help transform dealerships into well-protected fortresses. Besides helping deter potential thieves video cameras can provide a reliable source of information to address incidents and concerns promptly.
3. Enhance Cameras with Remote Video Monitoring
Security cameras without monitoring turn them into a reactive dealership security solution. Adding remote video monitoring that can be done offsite puts proactive eyes on the dealership, especially when it uses a combination of trained monitoring operators and technology like video analytics. This converts video cameras into a preemptive security tool.
Technology can scan many scenarios in seconds looking for suspicious behavior. Trained monitoring operators can act on the information from the technology. They may try warning the suspects over an onsite speaker or call the police while following the intruder’s movements.
4. Lock and Locate
Guard the dealership’s inventory with an arsenal of anti-theft measures. Wheel locks, GPS, and immobilization devices are more than accessories. They are also indispensable safeguards against theft. These tools, when integrated into the dealership’s vehicles, help augment tracking capabilities and act as formidable barriers against stolen vehicle attempts.
5. Hide the Prized Possessions
Elevate the protection of the dealership’s most prized possessions, which are valuable or rare vehicles. Storing them indoors overnight isn’t merely a precaution. It’s a strategic move to preserve their exclusivity and desirability. This practice helps shield these assets from potential theft.
Spotlighting the dealership’s commitment to safeguarding these valuable vehicles could reflect positively on your dealership’s reputation, creating an environment where customers can trust that their vehicles are in safe hands.
6. Protect Vehicle Keys
Digital car keys and key fobs open the door to vehicle thefts, therefore, protecting them is paramount. Establishing a secure storage protocol is a procedural necessity and a proactive measure against unauthorized access and potential theft.
Ensuring these crucial components are stored away from obvious locations like the ignition or glove box adds an extra layer of security. By emphasizing key safety, you communicate to both your staff and customers that every aspect of your dealership, down to the smallest detail, is meticulously managed and protected.
7. Keep a Detailed Log
Accountability is the cornerstone of an effective dealership security strategy. Implementing a robust vehicle sign-out process, complete with a detailed log, serves as an effective preventive and an essential tool for audits. By monitoring and recording who accesses vehicles and when, the dealership creates and reinforces a culture of responsibility.
The dealership also sets up a transparent system that leaves little room for unauthorized or unaccounted-for activities. This proactive approach helps ensure that your dealership is secure and operates with a level of transparency that builds trust with customers and stakeholders alike.
8. Protect Dealer Plates
Dealer plates provide more than identification. They’re also a potential vulnerability. Protecting them in a locked location and maintaining a meticulous activity log is a must-do precaution. Doing this is a proactive strategy against misuse.
By keeping a record of plate usage and securing them away from unauthorized access, dealerships add another layer of security to your dealership’s assets. This practice averts potential misuse and offers a comprehensive record for internal reviews. These contribute to the overall dealership security and accountability of the dealership’s operations.
9. Rely on E-brake Defense
Transform simple tactics into robust defenses against vehicle theft. Instructing dealership lot attendants to consistently engage e-brakes and turn tires sharply should be routine. Additionally, it’s a strategic move to make towing attempts more challenging for potential thieves.
This extra effort may be the barrier needed to discourage criminals, turning the dealership parking lot into a formidable stronghold where even the simplest preventive measures become powerful tools against theft.
10. Secure the Back Lot
Don’t forget about the vulnerability of wholesale or trade vehicles stored in the back lot. Elevate dealership security measures by storing these units in a secured location, restricting access, and minimizing the risk of theft. Recognizing the specific challenges of these often-overlooked vehicles showcases your commitment to a comprehensive security strategy.
By securing the back lot, the dealership can help protect higher-priced assets and let customers and stakeholders know that every corner of the dealership is subject to the same high standards of protection and care.
11. Accept Change Is a Good Thing
Embrace the proactive philosophy that change is a powerful ally in dealership security. Regularly changing locks and passwords is a useful response to employee departures. Moreover, it’s a commitment to ongoing dealership security. This practice helps confirm that access remains limited to authorized personnel, reducing the potential risks associated with compromised credentials.
By making this a routine part of the dealership security strategy, the business establishes a dynamic and adaptive approach that stays one step ahead of potential threats, creating a dealership environment where security is an ongoing priority, not just a reaction to specific events.
12. Raise the Dealership’s Inventory IQ
Elevate the dealership’s intelligence with an advanced inventory management process. Regularly comparing physical units to the dealership’s customer relationship management (CRM) list is a strategic move to help detect and address missing vehicles before audits bring them to light.
This proactive approach helps protect against potential discrepancies and showcases the dealership’s commitment to precision and accuracy in every aspect of dealership operations. By maintaining a high inventory IQ, the business communicates to customers and stakeholders that the dealership is secure and operates with a level of meticulousness that verifies every vehicle is accounted for and protected.
13. Create a Service Sanctuary
Recognize service vehicles can be vulnerable and need proactive security measures. Secure them within the shop overnight. Or, if the vehicle is stored outside, park them in a monitored and secured area.
By shielding service vehicles, you minimize the risk of theft and potential disruptions to service operations. This practice says a lot to customers that their vehicles are not just serviced but protected, building trust and confidence in the overall security of the dealership.
14. Control the Entry and Exit Points
Transform the layout of the dealership into a controlled and monitored space. Strategically limiting dealership entry points does more than control traffic flow. It also adds another layer of security.
Using vehicles as strategic inventory placement creates barriers and a controlled environment. This makes it easier to supervise the dealership lot. Controlling entry points can streamline operations and create a sense of order and vigilance that contributes to a secure and well-organized dealership. Blockers can be done by moving vehicles in front of entry and exit points or in between lanes.
15. Disable High-value Vehicles
There’s an extra step that’s worth taking with more expensive vehicles or those at a higher risk of being stolen. Remove the fuse for the fuel pump, starter, or both. Another option is to disconnect the battery. While these may not completely stop a thief, they could buy extra time to delay them and improve their chances of getting caught especially if the dealership uses remote video surveillance.
16. Maintain Routines
Enforce that end-of-day routines are part of the safety ritual. Confirming that each department has a comprehensive closing routine goes a long way in helping to secure every aspect of the dealership. From cash in the office to tools in the service department, do a routine check to verify everything is accounted for and catching discrepancies before they escalate.
In the establishment of a daily safety ritual, the dealership can build a culture of accountability and precision that contributes to a secure and smoothly operating dealership. Every routine step becomes a proactive measure against potential dealership security threats, fostering a safer and more secure overall dealership environment.
In an era where technology can be a game-changer, these measures help protect the dealership’s inventory as well as showcase its commitment to leveraging innovation for the security and safety of the dealership, its assets, employees, and customers.
To learn more about dealership security, check out this guide to four auto dealership theft trends. If you have questions, please contact us.
Texas Private Security License Number: B14187
California Alarm Operator License Number: ACO7876
Florida Alarm System Contractor I License Number: EF20001598
Tennessee Alarm Contracting Company License Number: 2294
Virginia Private Security Services Business License Number: 11-19499
Alabama Electronic Security License # 002116
Canada TSBC License: LEL0200704
