Theft is a major issue that self-storage facilities across Canada and the people who rely on them to safely store their belongings are facing. With criminals finding new ways to target these facilities, what can be done to help keep precious belongings & facility assets secure?
Storage units are major targets for theft.
Storage unit theft has steadily become a widespread issue as more people look to store their belongings in a place they feel is secure. Whether it be moving, decluttering, or finding a dry place to store valuable belongings, the demand for self-storage has increased.
Many of these personal belongings may hold sentimental value and are priceless in the hearts and minds of their owners. It’s not only personal belongings that are stored at self-storage spaces – many small businesses and sellers of all kinds utilize storage units to store extra inventory, and some storage sites are used to house vehicles, campers, boats, and trailers. Storage unit facilities also contain many different areas that are vulnerable to theft, beyond the storage units themselves – offices, utility rooms, and other exterior & interior storage areas that could be targeted by criminals.
Storage unit thieves are on the lookout for high value items.
Recent examples of storage unit theft across Canada prove how widespread the issue has become, and the brazen nature of many of these thefts is alarming. In January 2023, suspects in Milton, ON cut off the lock to the gate at a storage facility, targeting a trailer carrying a Sea-Doo – they proceeded to hook the trailer up to their truck and towed it from the scene. In the investigation that followed, authorities only had a rough window of time to work with, and had no suspect descriptions to help increase their chances of an eventual arrest. (1)
In March 2023, an individual broke into a storage facility in the Durham region of Ontario, and stole a camper trailer. Cameras captured security footage of the incident, but the incident was not discovered until well after it happened – the suspect was already in the wind with a stolen motorcycle, table saw, and tool chest. (2)
In May 2023, several storage lockers at a facility in Windsor, ON were targeted by two suspects who were extremely organized and cunning in their thefts. Prior to the theft, they leased their own storage units within the property, targeted adjacent units, and then stored the stolen goods within their own units. One of the units targeted belonged to a local non-profit organization, and the furniture stolen was then sold to an unsuspecting buyer online. (3)
Storage unit theft is not a new trend...
Unfortunately, storage unit theft is nothing new, and its brazen nature continues to harm individuals and businesses across the nation over recent years.
In November 2021, an artist who stored her artwork in a self-storage facility was shocked to find the precious items stolen. She was alarmed that despite all the on-site surveillance and security assurances by the facility, that thieves were still able to commit the crime, and the facility was only able to provide very little evidence of how they stole the items. When questioned by the RCMP investigators, the storage company admitted they did not have any video footage of the break in. This is just one example of how storage unit theft can result in the loss of precious items that have sentimental, creative, and professional value – with very little recourse for recovery.
CBC News Investigative Reporters sought the expertise of Caliber Communications CEO & Co-Founder, Alex Vourkoutiotis, on the issues surrounding storage unit theft – and the need for proactive surveillance:
“If you don’t have an active, monitored system, then you run the risk of just going in after the fact and perusing video footage – that may or may not exist – to determine what happened or maybe who did it”. (4)
Even with the existing security efforts on-site, the aforementioned examples prove there is a need for increased security that is better able to prevent storage unit theft.
How can proactive security help prevent storage unit theft?
Video Security Units cover the perimeter and capture important details
Proactive security begins with our Video Security Units, which are essential to keeping property and assets secure. Each unit comes standard equipped with 2 stationary cameras, a high-resolution PTZ camera, a live communications speaker & high-visibility LED strobe light for proactive deterrence of crime.
Our stationary cameras establish perimeter coverage on storage unit sites, covering entry and exit points as well as fence lines where thieves are likely to enter. Our PTZ (Pan-Tilt-Zoom) camera can zoom in on the action and provides a highly detailed view of suspects, allowing our Live Monitoring Team to capture suspect descriptions and important details. All of this is accomplished through our proprietary cellular LTE+ platform which creates a wireless security network that establishes a secure envelope around self-storage facilities.
Live Remote Video Monitoring deters criminals before they strike
Self-storage facilities need protection that can keep watch after-hours and on weekends. Enter our Live Remote Video Monitoring team, who are experts in proactive deterrence. Proactive security is all about deterring suspects from committing crimes, and that is achieved by issuing live and active deterrents such as bright, LED strobe lights and loud, authoritative voice commands. If suspects don’t heed the warning, Police will be alerted and dispatched to the scene. This is all done at our UL Certified Monitoring Center where our Monitoring Operators leverage their expertise and keen eyes in service of site protection.
Artificial Intelligence improves accuracy in detection
Artificial intelligence has greatly increased detection accuracy and allowed our Monitoring team to focus on important subjects and details. Our AI system is continually learning and adapting to the different environments where we provide proactive security – increasing the accuracy of our detections and keeping your self-storage facility secure in the process.
syncroDetect provides full security coverage
In addition to the storage units themselves, there are many other areas within self-storage facilities that are vulnerable. Our wireless intrusion alarm system, syncroDetect, is used for protecting interior areas on-site such as offices, facility storage areas, or utility rooms that may contain keys, lock codes, customer information, or other items that thieves can exploit. Utilizing door & window contact sensors and indoor motion detection sensors, syncroDetect can provide a complete security system that covers all the angles.
License Plate Reader & syncroPlates track vehicles
Self-storage facilities experience high volumes of vehicular traffic entering and exiting the site at all times throughout the day & night, including employees and clients visiting their units. With our License Plate Reader cameras, we can read license plate numbers and store them within our proprietary database, syncroPlates. This technology allows self-storage facility owners to easily keep track of the flow of vehicles, verify that they have a legitimate purpose to be there, making it easier to identify when a trespasser or potential thief attempts to strike.
Investigations & Video Review provide situational clarity
With high volumes of traffic, employees and clients, and other comings and goings on-site, it can be helpful to be able to review video surveillance footage, especially if there was an incident on-site that needs clarification. All video footage and log reports can be viewed through our proprietary reporting platform, syncroReports – creating a full picture of the proactive security we provide onsite. This transparency is beneficial as clients can rest assured their site is protected, and customers can store their items confidently, knowing their sentimental or high-value belongings are protected.
Self-storage facilities contain belongings that are important and sentimental to people who store them, and many assets that are owned & utilized by the facility itself. Proactive security is a valuable service to ensure these belongings are protected, and thieves come away empty handed.
Resources:
- “Police investigating major theft from Milton storage facility”, David Lea, InsideHalton.com, January 30, 2023
- “Police looking to identify suspect after that at Beaverton Self Storage”, DurhamRadioNews.com, July 2, 2023
- “Arrest made in May storage locker break-in, theft spree: WPS”, Amy-Ellen Prentice, Global News, June 4, 2023
- “Got something in self-storage? What you need to know amid rising thefts”, Erica Johnson, CBC News, November 29, 2021