In 2017, a motor vehicle theft was reported every 40 seconds
in the U.S. That number was up by 4% from the previous year, according to data
from the FBI.
Savvy thieves are getting smarter with their tactics. Gone are the days of
hot-wiring. Today’s criminals use smart keys, switch vehicle identification numbers
and use stolen IDs to secure loans.
According to that same FBI report, many of the stolen
vehicles that had been recovered were missing parts, such as wheels, rims and
catalytic converters. That’s no surprise since car parts and accessories are
proving to be lucrative for professional thieves. The National
Insurance Crime Bureau (NCIB) says vehicles today are loaded with
expensive technology and parts that criminals can steal and sell on the black
market.
At an Auburn
dealership, thieves cut through a locked gate and stole dashboard
equipment, stereos and batteries from over 25 Toyotas. The estimated loss was
nearly $110,000. Workers at a dealership in St.
Louis noticed the tires and wheels had been stolen from Yukon and
Denali SUVs, as well as some pickups on the lot. This was not an isolated
incident. Tires and wheels from high-end pickups and SUVs at other dealerships
around St. Louis were also targeted.
With such a large inventory out on display, auto dealerships
are susceptible to theft. As a dealer, there are security measures you can take
to make your property less attractive to thieves. Live video monitoring is a
proactive solution that works in real time to catch events as they happen.
Using a combination of video analytics and human intelligence, trained security
operators monitor key areas of a property to help prevent crimes before they
happen. If they see anything suspicious, they can activate speaker warnings and
call police.
In this video, our operators observed an individual entering
a black Challenger at a dealership in California and called police. Officers
arrived and arrested the suspect while he was still on the property.
The rising cost of car parts are luring criminals to
dealerships across the country. If you would like more information about how
our proactive solutions can help deter crime at your property, contact us here.
