The holidays are a time to give to others, serve the local community, and enjoy the hustle and bustle of the season. Many will be heading out to a variety of commercial properties to purchase gifts for friends and family – but what happens with these properties are targeted by thieves, leaving businesses reeling from the consequences?
Thieves target commercial properties when the holidays arrive.
With the holidays on the horizon, commercial properties and retail spaces are at an even greater risk for theft and vandalism. Whether it’s because people have fallen on hard times, or thieves are seeking items they can sell on the aftermarket, there is no question that theft trends spike during the holiday season. Many businesses shut down for statutory holidays, making them bigger targets as there is less activity and more opportunity for theft to occur. Also, due to the end of Daylight Savings Time, the sun sets much earlier in the day which only increases the window of which criminals can target commercial properties under the cover of night.
Many criminals target the products at commercial properties to re-sell them at a high profit during the holiday season – which seriously harms the businesses affected in a multitude of ways. After becoming the victim of theft and vandalism, businesses are obligated to make repairs and replace inventory – if they don’t have adequate insurance coverage, these repairs can become costly. This in turn can affect customers when the costs associated with these repairs are passed down through increases to the price of products and services. Recently, there has also been a sharp increase in organized retail crime, where criminals continue to exploit more sophisticated and cunning ways to target businesses both during, and after business hours.
A variety of commercial properties are targeted by criminals.
Many different types of commercial properties, from retail storefronts to shopping malls are targeted in the lead up to, and during, the holiday season. In December 2020, several Toronto businesses were targeted on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day, as a suspect broke into multiple coffee shops in the area. The front doors to the properties were destroyed and they proceeded to steal Point-Of-Sale systems and tablets while simultaneously trashing the stores in the process. The brazen break and enters were another blow to businesses that were already experiencing hardships at the time due to the pandemic. (1)
In November 2022, a jewelry shop in Edmonton, AB was targeted by thieves in an early morning break and enter. Two masked suspects broke into the store, smashing the glass door and display windows to steal high valued jewelry, coins, and an antique bill collection. After the incident, the owner of the store said he had decided to move his previous street level location into the mall because he thought having a mall unit without an exterior facing storefront would be safer. However, the efficacy of shopping mall security can be a concern during the holiday season rush. (2)
In December 2022, a commercial property in Kelowna, B.C. was broken into during the early morning hours, where thieves stole more than a dozen high-end sewing machines, ranging in price from $6,000 to $25,000. Surveillance footage showed the suspects arriving in a large rental van, breaking into the front of the store, and spending a significant amount of time seeking valuable items. The shop owner was left with tens of thousands of dollars in losses, at a time when the sewing machines could have been sold to customers – negatively affecting their holiday revenue. (3)
Also in December of last year, one individual in Winnipeg, MB faced charges of stealing more than $140,000 worth of items during a string of brazen break and enter incidents at multiple commercial properties. During one of the brazen theft incidents, the suspect was caught red handed by an employee while stealing a utility vehicle at a commercial property. The employee pursued the suspect in their own car before both vehicles were involved in a collision, resulting in the Police attending the scene, and ultimately the apprehension of the suspect. After Police investigated further, they found that the suspect had stolen a host of high value property from several businesses in the area, including boats, tractors, vehicles, and more. The fact that the employee caught the suspect in the act was completely coincidental. Had they not been there after-hours to intervene, the suspect would have been in the wind with the business’ assets. (4)
In each of the aforementioned instances, a proactive approach to security would have helped secure these commercial properties and their inventory through proactive deterrence, including live remote video monitoring.
How can we help prevent commercial property theft during the holidays?
Property analysis & risk assessment to strategize a course of action
The process of proactive security begins with risk assessment: analyzing the entirety of the property and what is required for ample protection. Our professional team will evaluate your property for security risks – asset placement, access points, and storage areas are some of the elements considered. Leveraging this information, they will strategize the most effective security measures needed to mitigate the risk of crime.
Video Security Units cover all the angles on commercial properties
Our Video Security Units go above and beyond what is possible from many commercial security monitoring systems. Commercial property security systems require a solution that can cover all the angles. Our security units are equipped with stationary cameras to establish perimeter protection and situational awareness on exterior areas of a commercial property, and our PTZ (Pan-Tilt-Zoom) cameras can be zoomed in to capture high-resolution details. All units leverage the power of our innovative and proprietary cellular LTE+ platform, which allows for seamless transmission of video footage back to our UL Certified Monitoring Facility for proactive deterrence of crime.
Artificial Intelligence creates instantaneous detection
Our revolutionary and proprietary artificial intelligence system detects live humans, differentiating them from other movement on-site. Our AI technology is continually learning and adapting to new information and environments, and we leverage that data to provide instantaneous detection. When an individual steps into camera view, they are immediately detected by our AI system, which alerts our Monitoring operators to their presence. Early detection is key when deterring theft at commercial properties – criminals are detected and deterred before they ever get to the front door.
Live Remote Video Monitoring provides proactive protection
Criminals are more likely to strike at commercial properties after hours when stores are closed and there is no staff present. Our Live Remote Video Monitoring service are the eyes you need to watch your commercial property after hours, overnight, and on weekends. Our Monitoring team issue proactive deterrents to prevent crime – including activating bright, LED strobe lights as a visual deterrent and loud, authoritative voice commands to thwart would-be criminals. If suspects continue on, our team will alert Police who will be dispatched to intervene.
Infrared Night Vision captures thieves in the dark of night
With the sun setting earlier across the country during the winter months, a solution is needed to detect and deter crime during nighttime conditions. Our Infrared night vision camera is there to catch suspects in the dark – it captures suspects approaching commercial properties as if it were clear as day, making it much harder for them to approach the property without being detected.
syncroDetect protects more sensitive, high-value areas
Your commercial property may contain sensitive areas that require additional protection. Our wireless intrusion alarm system, syncroDetect, helps to protect these areas – ranging from stock rooms, offices, alternate entry and exit points, to warehouse spaces. By providing additional protection for these areas, we create a full envelope of proactive protection to help ensure your assets remain in your inventory, and not in the hands of thieves.
syncroReports is a full service reporting portal
As the holiday season approaches, our proprietary reporting portal, syncroReports, is an essential platform that allows you to stay fully updated on your site security. This software provides you with immediate remote access to live video feeds, PTZ camera control, detailed log reports and everything else you need to stay informed on your site security.
Commercial property security is especially important during the holiday season, when properties are at higher risk. Protect and secure valuable inventory by employing a proactive security solution that will provide you with peace of mind over the holiday season.
Resources:
- “Police investigate after several Toronto businesses robbed on Christmas”, Morganne Campbell, Global News, December 28, 2020
- “Jewelry shop owner frustrated by theft after moving locations to avoid break-ins”, CBC News, November 26, 2022
- “Kelowna store out of ‘tens of thousands of dollars’ in stolen sewing machines”, Jason Peters, CBC News, December 6, 2022
- “The big ticket items a Manitoba man is accused of stealing; valued at $140K, according to Winnipeg police”, Kayla Rosen, CTV News Winnipeg, December 28, 2022