Parking lots are both convenient and a hassle. They’re perfect for parking our vehicles away from traffic and are convenient to our place of business or shopping area. On the other hand, some parking areas are hazardous to navigate at night. Left unsecured and in the dark, they leave cars and car owners susceptible to accidents, property crimes, and violent crimes. Fortunately, real-time secure video surveillance is vastly improving parking lot safety.
An Alarming Number of Crimes Occur in Parking Lots
Parking lot security is a serious issue. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, an average of 1 in 10 property crimes occur in parking lots. The FBI Crime Data Explorer reports that parking lots were the third most likely location for violent crime in 2017, including an alarming one third of all homicides that year. That’s more than the combined number of homicides occurring in bars, nightclubs and gas stations in all of 2017. Inadequate parking lot security is life-threatening, and can be deadly.
In 2019, Wisconsin nurse Carlie Beaudin suffered a brutal death in a parking lot attached to a hospital where she worked saving lives. No one was watching the security video surveillance system that captured the attack. In the aftermath, fellow nurses and other hospital staff said that they have long worried about their safety arriving and leaving work at all hours of the night, often forced to park in faraway or poorly lit parking lots that usually lack security staff.
What Makes Parking Lots Appealing to Criminals?
The size, accessibility, security level, and lighting of any area have a lot to do with the risk of crime. Open and large unsecured parking lots are often targets because of their nature. Criminals prefer parking areas with many other cars. Additionally, vandalism, break-in thefts, and car thefts tend to occur in poorly lit or open parking lots at night.
Ideally, lots of cars and no daylight provide camouflage for perpetrators to blend in, easily hide, or quickly escape. Opportunistic violent crimes, including homicides, can also occur inside minimally secured parking areas. Minimally secured parking lots, for instance, might have an unmanned gate that limits car entry.
This can limit vehicles but fails to prevent criminals from getting in. Other minimally secured lots carry a few video surveillance cameras. While video surveillance cameras can record crimes, they are only effective if they are actively monitored. After the tragic death of Carlie Beaudin, a coworker said she has regularly felt frightened walking to her car over the years and wonders why the cameras in the parking lots do not appear to be monitored in real-time.
When it Comes to Parking Lot Safety, Real-Time Video Monitoring is Critical
One of the best ways for owners and operators to improve safety in lots is to install smart video security system. That means investing in state-of-the-art, rules-based, video surveillance cameras with real-time monitoring or proactive monitoring capability, which refers to advanced video analytics technology that immediately alerts you of unauthorized activity.
A proactive video surveillance camera system enables the digital watch of multiple areas simultaneously, without added security personnel. Far better than a limited guard patrol, real-time video monitoring enables you to receive instant alerts of suspected crime. This is a major upgrade compared to video surveillance systems that only record a crime.
In the end, a faster response from police deters criminals. That’s what makes video security with real-time monitoring the most effective deterrent to parking lot crime.
A cloud-based, managed video surveillance system from Resolute Partners can add the final layer of parking lot security. Our advanced parking lot security surveillance and monitoring solutions help commercial enterprises to deter criminal behavior and boost safety.
Frequently Asked Questions
Parking lots are often large, poorly lit, and accessible spaces with many vehicles, making them ideal targets. Their size and lack of security create opportunities for theft, vandalism, and violent crimes, especially at night when visibility is low and criminals can blend in or escape quickly.
Real-time video surveillance offers instant alerts on unauthorized activity, allowing for immediate response. Unlike traditional cameras that only record, live monitoring actively watches multiple areas simultaneously, deterring crime by enabling faster police intervention and reducing risk to people and property.
Traditional video surveillance cameras record incidents but often lack active monitoring. Without real-time observation, crimes may go unnoticed until after they occur, delaying response and reducing deterrence. Cameras alone do not prevent crime unless combined with proactive, real-time monitoring systems.
Criminals target parking areas with poor lighting, minimal security, and high vehicle density. Such conditions provide cover and easy escape routes. Minimal gate controls and unmanned entry points also make it easier for offenders to access these areas without detection.
Businesses can enhance safety by installing smart, cloud-based video surveillance with real-time analytics. These systems offer proactive monitoring, instant alerts, and integration with live security personnel or law enforcement, providing a powerful deterrent against theft, vandalism, and violent crimes in parking areas.
Michael S. Blanco is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Resolute Partners, LLC, where he leads strategic initiatives across various divisions. After owning family entertainment centers in New England, he co-founded Resolute Partners in 1996, launching the first Internet cafés for the U.S. Navy and partnering with AT&T for global deployment. A pioneer in wireless communications, Michael has expanded the company’s focus to include Energy Management/IoT, Cybersecurity, and Managed Video Security. He holds a degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology.
1 Comments
Leave a Comment
Stay up to date.
Subscribe for latest news, protection tips, special offers, and more!
Live Video Monitoring
Our trained video security surveillance monitoring professionals can quickly spot suspicious activity captured by business security cameras. We review live video to determine if criminal behavior is suspected.
We are interested in getting information for the Carillon Shopping Center located at 10001 Westheimer, Houston, TX 77042.