Typical retail security services are often insufficient to deter shopping center crime. Property managers find that metal bars, locks, a security alarm, and security guards aren’t always enough to protect their commercial property and assets, especially from smash and grab robbers. Unfortunately, many commercial property managers don’t learn this lesson until after the crime has been committed.
Smash and grab robberies often include a team of thieves. Criminals use cars and trucks, typically stolen, as a battering ram to smash through store door and windows made of glass and other materials and breach physical retail security. Once they gain access thieves run inside the shop and grab cash, safes, and expensive items. Often building and store damage exceed the value of stolen goods.
Houston, Texas experienced a series of smash and grab robberies. The affected shopping center stores had retail security services in the form of video security cameras. But the cameras weren’t watched. Their surveillance video was not seen until after the smash and grab robbery. As a result, the thieves escaped to continue the crime spree and attack other businesses.
Smash and grab robberies can occur anywhere in the United States. One luxury smash and grab struck Highland Park, Texas, an affluent community north of Dallas. The Dallas shopping center had retail security services just like the Houston robberies. Their camera system also wasn’t watched. The security video showed a maroon van crash into the display window of a high-end boutique. A group of 12 thieves ran inside and stole about 50 luxury handbags and a pair of women’s shoes. The value of the stolen goods was estimated at up to $15,000.
These properties above weren’t customers of Stealth Monitoring. A smash and grab incident at a Dallas shopping center that is a Stealth client showed how retail security services can effectively work. This retail location had a video surveillance system that was monitored live by trained Stealth operators. A lot of smash and grab thefts like this incident involve ATM thefts.
The thieves arrived with a pickup truck that backed up twice and broke through grocery store doors. Stealth operators saw the illegal activity live. They activated a speaker warning and called the Dallas police. The smash and grab thieves stopped their retail robbery and drove away before the Dallas Police arrived.
Stealth Monitoring is a retail security services leader in live video surveillance with over 15,000 video cameras watched nationwide. Stealth proactive video monitoring can detect and deter crime at retail locations in Dallas, Houston, and other cities in the U.S. and Canada while reducing security guard and other expenses. Stealth’s shopping center security system service can reduce or even replace security guards at a fraction of the cost. A remote surveillance Stealth operator can see unusual activity, activate a speaker warning to deter smash and grab thieves, and call the local police.
Please call toll-free (866) 382-3873 or contact Stealth today for retail security services to protect your shopping center. Visit our web site to see actual videos of criminals being apprehended at stores, malls, and other commercial businesses.
