Municipalities across Canada have experienced a rash of theft and vandalism incidents that have left local governments reeling. What can be done to protect these sites so the communities they’re built for can enjoy them?
Municipal properties are targets for theft and vandalism
Cities and townships are home to many types of properties that require protection – from city halls & public works storage, to parks and recreation centres. Despite the valuable spaces and services that municipal properties provide to the public at large, they have still become targets for brazen attacks of theft and vandalism. In October 2022, we reported on the rampant issue of theft and vandalism at municipal properties within the city of Hamilton, ON. Since then, there have been a multitude of incidents that highlight just how widespread the issues that municipal properties are facing across Canada.
Municipal properties across Canada need protection
The rash of recent thefts and vandalism at municipal properties has proven that no type of property or item is safe from these threats. In October 2022, the Mayor of London, Ontario’s Chain of Office was stolen from a glass case at City Hall. While the chain didn’t have any monetary value, it was of significant value to the history of the City of London. (1)
In January 2023, the township of North Dundas, ON was hit with a large wave of theft and vandalism at their municipal properties, including the theft of several vehicles. These incidents were nothing new for the community, with several incidents reported in previous years that the local government was still grappling with. (2)
In February 2023, a community display at City Hall in Sarnia, ON was vandalized and several red dresses were stolen that were meant for a Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women March that was set to take place. The dresses were stolen overnight and Police were left with blurry surveillance photos to try and find the suspect after the incident. (3)
In July 2023, the football fields at a high school in Fort McMurray, Alberta were deemed unusable after a string of vandalism incidents. The field was damaged in more ways than one – including peeling turf, spray paint, garbage strewn about, and even fire damage. After much deliberation, school officials opted to shut down the field altogether to prevent further vandalism, to the disappointment of students and faculty. The field itself was not surrounded by any gates, fencing, lighting, or cameras which made it a haven for trespassers and vandals. (4)
Most recently, in August 2023, Police responded to an incident of theft and vandalism at Seacliff Park Amphitheatre – a municipal property in Windsor, ON. Thieves broke in and stole a large quantity of tools from a storage unit on-site, resulting in $7,000 worth of losses, as well as causing significant vandalism damage including graffiti on garbage cans and other town property. (5)
The expense and cost of repairs for theft and vandalism have greatly affected municipalities and their bottom line. After a slew of incidents in 2022, officials at the City of Niagara Falls in Ontario had to spend a large amount of taxpayer money to deal with vandalism issues – including incidents at cemeteries, sports fields, parks, and other municipal buildings. The city councilors were at a loss on how to address the rise in theft and vandalism at municipal properties without the necessary funds in their budget to deal with such a rapid increase in these unforeseen incidents. City officials have resorted to reallocating funds from other parts of their municipal budgets to fight the increase in incidents that have been plaguing their city. (6)
One township has experienced the negative impact of continued theft & vandalism...
The municipal government and community of South Frontenac, Ontario have felt the negative effects of theft and vandalism more than most. In July 2022, it was reported that the township had seen a serious uptick in incidents at multiple municipal parks across town – including vandalism such as fire, graffiti, and broken glass. A cache of items were also stolen – soccer netting, new bleacher tops, and even a boating dock were taken. The fact that one single community experienced so many incidents of vandalism and theft is extremely alarming, and the truth is, this is not an isolated incident. (7)
The increasing rate and severity of theft and vandalism at municipal sites across Canada highlights the need for a proactive security solution that can keeps these properties secure.
How can we help deter theft and vandalism at municipal properties?
Video Security Units provide protection
Our proprietary Video Security Units create a wireless security grid that helps protect municipal properties of all kinds. Utilizing two high-resolution stationary cameras to establish perimeter coverage, and a PTZ (Pan-Tilt-Zoom) camera to drill in on details, we create a security envelope that allows our Live Remote Video Monitoring team to keep watch over the property and deter potential trespassers. Leveraging the power of our proprietary cellular LTE+ platform, we create a fully wireless security network to protect these vulnerable properties.
Live Remote Video Monitoring deters criminals
Our Live Remote Video Monitoring team are second to none in the prevention of crime. Proactively deterring trespassers before they commit serious criminal acts is the primary goal – if someone steps foot onto a site, our team will first issue deterrents such as bright, LED strobe lights and loud, authoritative voice commands to warn potential criminals they are being monitored. If they aren’t deterred, the team will dispatch Police to attend the scene.
Artificial Intelligence increases detection accuracy
Accurate detection of potential thieves and vandals is absolutely necessary to properly deterring crime. Our proprietary Artificial intelligence system has changed the way that our Monitoring Operators tackle site protection. Our AI systems are continually learning and adapting to ever-changing environments. By differentiating and identifying live humans from other items and movement on site, this system allows our Monitoring team to focus on what’s most important: keeping your site fully secure.
syncroDetect wireless alarms protect sensitive areas
Municipal properties vary in size and purpose. Our wireless intrusion alarm system, syncroDetect, is designed to protect sensitive areas that may be vulnerable to attack. Utilizing door & window contact sensors to keep entry points secure, and indoor motion detection sensors to detect movement, syncroDetect creates an additional layer of protection that can keep various areas on municipal property sites secure.
License Plate Readers & syncroPlates searchable database for verification
With many vehicles on the move, entering & exiting municipal properties at various hours, a solution is needed to track these vehicles and verify they have a purpose on-site. Our License Plate Reader cameras can capture the alphanumerical characters on a license plate and then store them within our own database, syncroPlates. Suspicious vehicles can then be blacklisted within the system so access to municipal properties is authenticated and controlled. This provides additional protection, clarity, and verification for vehicular traffic.
syncroReports provides full transparency
We provide full transparency for our clients when providing security service for their site. Through our proprietary reporting platform, syncroReports, our clients can view live camera feeds and detailed Log Reports to get a full picture of what is occurring on their properties. Municipal officials can tap into this resource to keep track of their properties, and any incidents that may occur. By providing transparency, we provide the peace of mind for our clients that we are proactively deterring theft and vandalism in all its forms.
With the brazen nature of theft and vandalism on municipal properties only increasing, a proactive security solution is needed to protect these sites so they can serve the communities that they are built for.
Resources:
- “London mayor’s Chain of Office stolen from City Hall”, CBC News, October 26, 2022
- “Township victimized by theft and vandalism incidents”, Brandon Mayer, The North Dundas Times, January 26, 2023
- “Suspect sought in theft at city hall”, Natalia Vega, Sarnia News Today, February 28, 2023
- “Timberlea Community Park’s football field unusable after years of flooding, vandalism”, Vincent McDermott, Fort McMurray Today, July 14, 2023
- “Very frustrating: Theft and graffiti reported at Seacliff Park Amphitheatre”, Melanie Borrelli, CTV Windsor, August 30, 2023
- “Niagara Falls having to spend ‘foolish’ funds on increased vandalism around the community”, Ray Spiteri, Niagara Falls Review, January 25, 2023
- “South Frontenac Township deals with rash of thefts and vandalism at rec facilities”, Ryan Peddigrew, Global News, July 21, 2022