Just after 1:00 a.m., a Stealth security operator saw several individuals vandalizing a vehicle parked in the lot of an Arlington, Texas apartment complex. They appeared to be pouring various liquids over the car. Our operator left a voicemail for the security guard on duty, then contacted police. Officers arrived shortly after the suspects left the area and proceeded to inspect the vehicle.
Vandalism Defined
Vandalism is the “willful destruction or damaging of property in a manner that defaces, mars, or otherwise adds a physical blemish that diminishes the property’s value.” To be convicted of vandalism, one must have proof that there was intentional physical damage done to property owned by another person.
Criminal property damage is typically defined differently by each state. These specific laws, combined with the value of the damaged property, will determine whether the offense is a misdemeanor or felony.
The Implications of Vandalism at Your Community
As a property owner or manager, you have an obligation to provide a certain level of safety for your residents, their guests and your staff.
You may be held responsible for criminal activity on your property, especially if you don’t provide adequate security. By not doing so, you run the risk of liability claims, as well as high vacancy rates. These measures can be costly and detrimental to your NOI.
Help Protect Your Residents and Their Property
Live Video Monitoring can be an effective tool to add to your security arsenal. Analytics-based cameras can pick up movements around your property and alert trained monitoring operators, who will then evaluate any suspicious behavior.
Unlike traditional guards who can only be in one place at a time, our security operators can watch multiple areas of your property simultaneously and react in real-time. Our team of video analysts is also available to provide footage of any incident that occurs on your property, saving you valuable time. This can be beneficial in liability issues and police investigations.
In addition to video review services, our live video monitoring solution provides many benefits, including:
- Remote maintenance: Helps identify, diagnose and repair technical problems remotely without your even knowing an issue has occurred
- IT support: On-call 24/7
- Video archiving: Recorded video is stored for a specified amount of time for future use
- Audio deterrent: If installed, audio speakers can be activated to deter criminals before they cause damage
- Customized reports: Showing results of all activity taking place on your property
By taking proactive steps to maintain a safe community, you can help streamline and reduce your operational costs, deter crime, retain tenants and improve your net operating income.
For more information about live video monitoring for your multifamily community, contact us.
