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Why Parking Lots are Targeted For Crime
LotGuard explores some of the key reasons why parking lots are such a popular target for crime, and how you can mitigate these risks.
Parking Lot Security Surveillance Cameras
As a business owner, you'll know how important it is to keep your workers and inventory safe.
You may have already installed security cameras inside your properties to catch or deter potential break-ins. But all too often, a lack of attention is paid to exterior camera deployments.
Parking lots, with high volumes of foot and vehicle activity, are locations where safety is paramount. Yet, they are still regarded as a magnet for crimes such as violent assaults, carjackings, theft, and vandalism.
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, parking lots and garages will account for more than 10% of all property offenses.
Why Are Parking Lots Targeted?
Criminals primarily target parking lots as they contain high-value goods. Whether it's vehicles, contents of vehicles, personal property, or items such as catalytic converters, a parking lot is filled with big-ticket items.
Moreover, parking lots often present a low-risk / high-reward opportunity for thieves due to their remote locations, natural hiding spots, and weak security and surveillance measures.
As customers, guests and staff enter and depart your place of business, thieves have the perfect opportunity to strike without fear of detection.
Why Are Parking Crimes Rates So High?
Most crimes that occur at parking lots are opportunistic. Law enforcement reports suggest that most theft from vehicles happens because the car has been left unlocked or because valuable items have been left in plain sight.
The most commonly stolen items from cars according to Texan Insure includes:
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GPS Devices
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Car Radios, Speakers
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Cell phone, iPod, Portable Gaming Systems
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Laptop, Tablet, iPad
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Car Registration
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Third Row Seats
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Rims and Tires
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License Plate and/or Tabs
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Truck Tailgates
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Catalytic Converters
Catalytic converters are currently in particularly high demand with thieves, as prices of core metals such as platinum, palladium, rhodium, and gold continue to soar.
NBC recently reported that instances of catalytic convertor theft have risen to 2,347 a month, with thieves able to resell the converters to metal recyclers for up to $500, and it only takes a minute or two to remove the unit.
How Do You Secure a Parking Lot?
The risk profile of parking lot environments highlights the need to have a robust security solution in place.
There are several steps you can take to harden your lots against potential risks, which we have detailed in our Complete Guide to Parking Lot Security - a free download complied by our security experts.
Key elements of ramping security at your properties will include limiting blind spots, creating a secure perimeter, installing lighting facilities, controlling access to sites (where possible), and keeping a watchful eye on all activity.
Where the cost of deploying a team of mobile security guards may simply be out of reach of many company's budgets, visibly positioned surveillance cameras offer a cost-effective, reliable, 24/7 approach to parking lot security.
Parking Lot Surveillance Cameras - Mitigate, Deter, and Prevent Crime
Installing a LotGuard surveillance camera helps keep an eye on your lot 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
LotGuard cameras act as a visible deterrent to opportunist thieves who will most likely target lots without security systems.
A LotGuard camera can be backed by remote monitoring services that act as a virtual security guard for your lot - always awake and always on guard.
LotGuard’s monitoring partners are a team of ex-law enforcement and military personnel who keep watch on your site using LotGuards advanced edge-based video analytics.
Installing the right surveillance camera, backed by virtual monitoring services, can turn even the largest parking lot into a crime-free zone.
More Than Just Crime
According to the National Safety Council, at least one in five accidents happen in parking lots within the United States.
That totals nearly fifty thousand car crashes in parking lots and garages every year, with more than sixty thousand people are injured in parking lot accidents every year.
If an accident occurs in your parking lot, a LotGuards surveillance solution allows you to capture critical video evidence and notify the relevant autorities.
The high-quality video footage will be crucial in assisting authorities in determining what occurred, and will also protect your lots from costly hit-and-runs and false insurance claims.
LotGuard: The USA's #1 Parking Lot Surveillance System
LotGuard surveillance units are designed to provide parking lot and dealership security. They detect, deter, mitigate, and report criminal activity and provide 24/7 security.
The units feature built-in video analytics capable of detecting loitering and other criminal behavior. When coupled with our live video transmission, it enables remote crime prevention to occur.
Every LotGuard has an HD infrared camera capable of recording crystal clear evidential images even in the lowest lighting conditions, allowing our remote operators to despatch law enforcement and capture usable video for review.
The PTZ cameras allow full site coverage, and we can provide LotGuards to your premises regardless of power availability.
We can customize the camera profile of LotGuard, so it meets the exact requirements of your sites.
This includes IR PTZ cameras, thermal cameras, license plate recognition cameras (LPR), and four-way multisensor cameras; all capable of delivering live and recorded footage through 4G LTE technology
Reach out to our LotGuard team today to learn more.