At the expense of business owners across Canada, vandals continue to find new ways to destroy inventory, tamper with equipment, and deface property. How can proactive security help to deter vandals before they leave their mark?
Acts of vandalism often have no rhyme or reason
Vandalism is a crime that can affect businesses of all sizes. Whether it be property damage, arson, graffiti, slashing tires, or defacing property – vandalism is a major issue that requires a proactive solution to keep businesses protected.
Whereas crimes like theft may have a specific purpose or intent, vandalism can often be attributed to random acts, without rhyme or reason as to why certain businesses are targeted. Small businesses have often been targeted, and many can’t afford the costly repair bills or operational delays that these crimes impose, especially when the vandalism happens on a continual basis.
Vandalism negatively affects businesses across Canada
The negative effects of vandalism have spread far and wide across Canada, impacting many different types of businesses. Since July 2023, many incidents of vandalism took place across Canada, and Ontario businesses suffered.
On July 4th, a florist shop in Toronto, ON was the target for destruction when suspects broke all the front windows of the shop, leaving the owners fearful and disheartened. There was surveillance obtained of the incident, but it was only viewed after the incident had already taken place. (1)
On July 16th, a small hardware store in Toronto, ON had to incur serious repair costs after continued vandalism, which was so frequent and costly that the owner is considering closing his business altogether, after nine decades serving the local community. (2)
On July 28th, Cogeco customers were left without Internet and TV service after a vandal cut a fibre optic cable, affecting North Bay, ON and nearby communities in Callander and Corbeil. Service was eventually restored but not without customers enduring a long and inconvenient outage. (3)
Police in Windsor, ON are seeking suspects who damaged property and tampered with equipment at construction site in August 2023. Vandalism charges include discharging a fire extinguisher, damaging glass panels, and spray painting graffiti. (4)
Provincial governments aim to curb vandalism
Provincial governments within Canada are implementing new ways to relieve the impacts of vandalism in all its forms. For instance, in British Columbia, the provincial government has pledged $10.5 million to assist small businesses affected by vandalism, and are in discussion for a rebate program to extend preventative measures for small businesses in the province. This comes on the heels of a rash of vandalism throughout the province, with many small businesses being continually targeted for no apparent reason. (5)
While these efforts are definitely worthwhile to help businesses recover from acts of vandalism, a proactive solution to curb them before they happen is beneficial in keeping businesses thriving and without fear of vandals striking.
How does proactive security help deter vandalism?
Establishing surveillance coverage with Video Security Units
Establishing perimeter coverage through high-resolution stationary cameras helps to catch and deter vandals before they strike. Combined with PTZ (Pan-Tilt-Zoom) cameras to zoom in on the action, we are able to gain a crystal clear view of what is happening on site. Our Video Security Units leverage our proprietary cellular LTE+ platform to create a wireless network of protection that helps stop vandals in their tracks.
Providing early detection through Artificial Intelligence
The use of artificial intelligence makes capturing potential vandals even easier. Our proprietary AI system can detect trespassers right from the moment they are within camera view, and help our Monitoring team to quickly deter them from striking. By leveraging AI, we can keep vandalism away from businesses by detecting trespassers right from the moment they step foot on-site.
Keeping a watchful eye with Live Remote Video Monitoring
Proactive deterrence is our primary goal in keeping properties safe from vandalism. Our Live Remote Video Monitoring team detect trespassers before they become vandals, deterring them before they act. By utilizing active deterrents such as LED strobe lights and authoritative voice commands, our Monitoring team quickly let trespassers know they are being monitored and if they persist in their activities, Police will be called to the scene.
Staying powered up using Battery Backup Systems
Our Video Security Units can be powered to remain operational when it counts. If vandals tamper with power on-site, our Battery Backup Systems will engage to keep security coverage intact.
All of our units are modular, independent, and adaptable, and if one unit in the grid becomes inoperable due to an attack, the other units will remain operational.
Vandalism is an unnecessary and costly crime that affects many business owners across the country. By employing a proactive approach to security, businesses can maintain day-to-day operations with peace of mind, and protection from the harmful impact of this crime.
Resources:
- “Toronto florist repeatedly targeted by vandals”, Catherine McDonald, Global News, July 6, 2023
- “Small hardware store considers closing following repeated vandalism”, Global News, July 20, 2023
- “Cogeco outage caused by vandalism”, Jeff Turl, BayToday.ca, July 28, 2023
- “Windsor police seek construction site vandals”, Dalson Chen, Windsor Star, August 11, 2023
- “B.C. launches $10.5M rebate for vandalism repairs for affected businesses”, The Canadian Press, July 26, 2023