Car dealership security can be a tough nut to crack. Open forecourts are essential in allowing interested customers to browse the cars available but they also pose a security risk. If potential buyers can get close to the cars, then so can potential thieves – as this incident goes to show…
The incident
On Monday 5 June 2017 at 23:51, Farsight operators spotted an individual at a Mercedes dealership in Essex. It was a strange time for a potential buyer to be at the forecourt – let alone in the appalling weather!
With this in mind, the Farsight operators were already suspicious when they spotted the individual – with a hood and cap – removing the wheels from one of the cars.
The operator acted swiftly, calling the police and issuing an audio warning stating clearly that the individual was being watched live via CCTV and that they needed to remove themselves from the premises immediately.
Foolishly, with the police en route, the perpetrator ignored the audio warning.
The Farsight operator stayed connected to the live CCTV camera at the car dealership and continued to observe the actions of the individual and report back to the police.
The results
When the police arrived on site, the CCTV operator was able to quickly guide them to the car the perpetrator was ‘working’ on.
The persistence and quick-thinking of the Farsight operator was rewarded when he witnessed the police apprehend the hooded individual live on camera!
Putting two and two together
Farsight operators often need to familiarise themselves with the level of risk facing individual sites, to allow them to spot patterns and react in an appropriate manner. The Farsight YourSight portal goes some way in helping by tracking the incidents and alerts for each site.
In reference to this incident, Farsight speculate it could have related to an incident on Wednesday 31 May 2017 where a person of similar frame and clothing was seen at the same dealership at 00:14. The individual was moving round the dealership with a flashlight, potentially scoping out the site. The police were called but in this instance the perpetator wasn’t apprehended with the presence of CCTV spooking them from the site before any damage could be done.
