Intruder Breaks In, Drops from Ceiling Inside Baltimore Dealership

Breaking and entering comes in a variety of forms. From using tools to bust in, smashing glass windows and doors, hopping fences, or picking locks, there are as many methods as there are thieves willing to try them.  

However, some thieves go for the more creative approach, entering buildings and businesses and gaining access through the air shafts or ceilings. In some cases, it ends up chaotically. In the case below, the burglar thought he could outsmart the police after breaking into an automotive dealership– but Stealth was watching.  

At 1:34 a.m., an alert Stealth security professional spotted an intruder walking onto a Baltimore-area auto dealership. On-site alarms were activated, and additional observation led to the intruder venturing further into the property and moving up against the building. At that point, local police dispatch was contacted. While operators were in contact with police dispatch, the intruder climbed the fence separating the buildings and disappeared from view toward the roof. Operators remained in contact with police dispatch as they searched interior cameras, spotting a shirt dropping from the ceiling inside, followed by the suspect, who lowered themselves onto the roof of a vehicle inside the shop.  

Police dispatch was informed of these developments as they unfolded.  After the intruder again disappeared from camera view, the intruder reappeared in the service breezeway. Officers arrived and made immediate contact with the suspect, detaining him and placing him into police custody. The man reportedly claimed to be an employee. Operators reviewed the footage again and observed additional details that they then relayed to the officer handling the case.  

Help Protect Your Dealership with a Proactive Security Solution 

While the more common concerns facing auto dealerships and service lanes are related to car thefts, vehicle break-ins, and parts theft, there are always new and more brazen thieves and vandals out there breaking norms. In this case? Pulling a Mission: Impossible style approach to accessing the interior spaces of the service lane. Who knows what their end goal may have been, but it’s easy to imagine the results would cost the dealership thousands.  

Dealerships and their service lanes present a variety of unique security issues that make effective security a challenge. Large and often irregularly shaped lots, as well as large inventories of expensive outdoor assets that need to be browser-friendly make effective oversight of an entire property difficult for even the most vigilant on-site security guards, who can only physically be in one place at a time. Fences and gates are usually no match for a determined thief.  

Live video monitoring is a proactive approach to security that helps protect critical outdoor assets and deter criminal activity at your automotive dealership in real time. Stealth’s customized video surveillance solutions utilize the human intelligence of trained security professionals in tandem with cutting-edge video analytics to spot suspicious or unwanted behavior and catch events as they happen.  

When operators see something or someone out of place, they can sound audible alarms or contact local law enforcement when the situation requires it. Just as in the case above, officers typically arrive on site while suspects are still in the area thanks to our ability to provide dispatch with up-to-the-minute information and descriptions, meaning our calls are usually prioritized.  

Ready to learn more about our innovative and cost-effective solutions that can save you up to 60% on security spend? Contact us today. Texas Private Security License Number: B14187