Learn how to avoid and deter vandals from your businesses and surrounding properties using security cameras.
Shattered windows. Broken doors. Defaced property.
You don’t have to look very hard to find examples of vandalism plastered all over the news. Sometimes it’s teenagers with graffiti. Sometimes it’s a guy with a rock (or even a flowerpot).
Unfortunately, the costs of these senseless cases of vandalism—which average in the thousands per incident—often fall largely on the business and its owner.
It’s not just the actual cost of repairs that impact the business’s bottom line: Vandalism can easily decrease feelings of safety among customers, leading them to take their business elsewhere. Not only that, but—depending on the severity of the damages—a business may need to suspend operations for repairs or rent equipment to keep things going in the interim.
In the case of small businesses, these added costs can lead to an already struggling new business closing its doors for good. Half of all small businesses fail within the first five years, and of those, 30% fail because of crime.
While there are several methods businesses can use to deter vandalism and other crime, one of the most effective of these is the implementation of robust enterprise surveillance systems.
There are many reasons people participate in vandalism: revenge, boredom, frustration, anger, social acceptance, and even misguided playfulness. Whatever the reason, however, these acts of destruction are most often carried out in dark, deserted places, making it significantly easier for the vandals to get away with their crime.
Vandals gravitate toward quiet businesses closed for the night and sleeping construction sites for obvious reasons: they’re easy targets with lots of things to destroy and no one around to report the incidents.
Using mobile security units at your place of business makes it obvious from a glance that your business takes security seriously and will not be the easy mark the vandal was hoping for. Since security systems can catch the vandals in the act day or night and provide video evidence after the fact, your property will be significantly less appealing for those looking to make a mess without getting caught.
There are several key features to look for when choosing business video surveillance systems. Factors to consider include the camera’s tamper-resistant capabilities, the camera’s visibility, and the system’s connection to VMS.
It doesn’t do you much good to have cameras if they are easily disabled. When choosing your camera system setup, avoid loose wiring (which can be easily cut) and consider skipping visible wires altogether. Options like the LVT Unit are completely self-contained, meaning they don’t need cabling to connect them to an external power source.
You’ll also want to ensure any mobile security units you use can’t be easily toppled. Look for an option with a wide, sturdy base that will keep the camera tower from being pushed over—whether by strong winds or strong vandals.
While business video surveillance systems are great for detection and evidence, effective systems will also deter would-be vandals in the first place. How do they do this? By their visible, obvious presence.
To effectively deter crime, would-be criminals have to see your cameras (so no hiding or disguising them), get that the cameras are there to catch them should they try anything, and fear the consequences if they were to commit a crime.
Since you want your cameras to be as obvious as possible, look for bigger units where there is no mistaking just what the camera is and what it’s there for. LVT Units are large (they take up nearly a full parking space and have towering camera mounts), have flashing lights, and can be outfitted with law enforcement colors. With nothing subtle about them, the LVT Units are a great choice for advertising the fact that your space is under constant surveillance.
While security cameras are effective as deterrent and recording devices on their own, the addition of a cloud-connected video management system (VMS) enables you to interact with your footage instantly, allowing you to act on any issues as soon as they arise.
LiveView Technologies’ VMS, also known as the LVT Platform, offers advanced detection, which can immediately alert you when abnormal activity occurs at your jobsite or business. The LVT Mobile App allows you to receive and check on alerts from anywhere you have an internet connection. It also allows you to livestream your footage at any time, from any place.
In the case of a vandalism incident or other crime, a mobile platform enables you to share relevant footage with law enforcement easily, speeding up the process for evidence collection and increasing the chances that the perpetrator will be caught.
Anything connected to the internet comes with the cybersecurity risks (the equivalent of online vandalism), so be sure to choose a VMS that prioritizes security and confidentiality.
Interested in using LVT Units to reduce vandalism at your place of business? Contact LVT for a free demo today!
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