As a business owner, you know how vital the safety and security of your employees and inventory is. You might have a security system and cameras installed to alert you of any potential break-ins or other crimes, but have you considered the exterior of your business? Parking lots, with all the foot and vehicle traffic, are areas where safety is of the utmost importance, yet they are described as a magnet for crimes such as violent assaults, carjackings, theft, and vandalism. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, more than 10% of property crimes will occur in parking lots and garages.
Why Parking Lots?
Criminals find the abundance of hiding places and the seclusion of parking lots very attractive. This provides criminals a prime opportunity to target both customers and employees alike as they enter and exit your place of business. The assumption is that the area is not being monitored, which will allow them to commit crimes while going undetected.
Why Target Cars?
Criminals see stealing valuables from cars as a crime of opportunity. The Valley Police Department reported that about 99% of cars that are broken into are unlocked. The most commonly stolen items out of cars are backpacks, cash/coins, wallets, electronics, jewelry, and anything else of obvious value. Outside of unlocked vehicles, thieves are also targeting something most people never think about; their catalytic converter. Mandated for all U.S. cars and trucks in 1975, the catalytic converter is made with precious metals, such as platinum, palladium, rhodium, or gold. Edmunds reports that depending on the metal used, thieves can sell the converters to metal recyclers for up to $200, and it only takes a minute or two to remove the unit.
What Can You Do?
This type of behavior explains the importance of providing an environment that deters criminal activity. Limit the number of hiding places for criminals, install plenty of lighting, and watch the area. However, hiring a dedicated security staff may not be financially feasible for many small businesses. The single most productive and cost-efficient way to offer a safe environment in your parking lot is to install a conspicuously placed set of security cameras.
Crime Deterrent
Parking lot security cameras are able to provide monitoring of your lot 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This allows a response to security incidents in real-time and is also a great way to deter crimes from occurring, to begin with. As most criminals will scout the area before committing a crime, having noticeable, high-quality security cameras in the parking lot of your warehouse, school, shopping or manufacturing center, or other commercial facilities, can help persuade the criminal to move on from the area. If a crime does take place in your parking lot, having a camera on the lot gives authorities the material they need to better understand the situation. The right camera system can turn even the largest parking lot into a crime-free zone.
More Than Just Crime
In addition to crime, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimates that parking lots are where about 20% of vehicular accidents occur. If an accident happens if your parking lot, having a camera system gives you the power to see as it happens and alert the proper authorities. Cameras are also critical in helping the authorities determine what happened and to take the proper action. Having the right camera system in your lot also protects you from costly hit-and-runs and fraudulent insurance claims.
Parking Lot Cameras and Installation with Camera Security Now
Today’s security cameras offer features that are beneficial to parking lot surveillance, such as license plate recognition, facial recognition, and wireless connectivity back to the main building. Infrared imaging for night-time or low-light video recording comes standard on most modern IP cameras.
One of our technicians, led by Johnny Beagle, will assist you every step of the way. We will start by giving you a free site survey, which helps us understand the best possible solution for you. Next, one of our technicians will walk you through what kind of cameras would work best for your steel mill.
To contact Johnny and Camera Security Now directly over the phone, call 800-440-1662 or fill out a fast, easy online quote form.
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