Car park security – vitally important but often overlooked

Violent assaults, car-jackings, petty theft and vandalisms – you would be astonished at the quantity of crimes that will occur in company car parks.

Why are car parks vulnerable?

Corporate car parks often have secluded areas with many hiding places. This represents a considerable risk for your employees and customers as they enter and exit your premises. Most car parks are unmonitored and unattended.

Why are parked cars so attractive to criminals?

Police estimates calculate over 90% of the cars that are broken into are unlocked. Thieves typically steal money, wallets, electronics and other small items of value. They will also target car parts that are valuable for the metals used in their construction.

Steps you can take to improve security

Look carefully at the landscaping of your car park – ornamental shrubs and bushes may look attractive, but do they provide a hiding place for criminals? Install plenty of lighting, and if you have security guards make sure their patrols encompass the car park. However, the single most effective step you can take is to install CCTV cameras, preferably with external monitoring – not only does monitoring allow immediate response to suspicious characters and activity, if a crime does take place having a cameras covering the area gives you evidence you can later use in court. Remember –  the right camera system can turn even the largest car park into a crime-free zone.

Vehicle accidents

Health & Safety authorities estimate that twenty per cent of vehicle accidents occur in car parks. A high-quality CCTV system with monitoring not only allows the alarm to be raised immediately, but also provides valuable evidence on what happened and who might be responsible. This gives you protection from potentially costly hit-and-run accidents and fraudulent insurance claims.

CCTV systems with monitoring

Features can include license plate recognition, facial recognition, and wireless connectivity. Infrared imaging for night-time or low light video recording is standard.

To get a free security consultation for your car park call us on 01775 821100

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