Topic: Car break-ins/busted out windows. The thorn in my side. What are some precautions you take?

Car break-ins/busted out windows. The thorn in my side. What are some precautions you take? We do light checks, we’ve added additional flood lights, we have random security inspections 7 days a week, and it still isn’t getting better! Hellllllp!
Edit to add: Besides break-ins, we’ve also had a lot of catalytic converters stolen. Any tips for that?

Are they actually breaking in or are people leaving their cars unlocked? 

If they are busting out windows, talk to the police. They can do more property checks & set up cameras if you can.

 

This was my question. We had a rash of "vehicle break ins". When we spoke with the police all vehicles were unlocked with valuables on display.

We had a similar issue with this, turns out it was all the same kid breaking in. As soon as he was caught (it didn't take long for his luck to run out) all the break ins stopped. Sorry to say you might just have to ride it out. I will say that lighting was huge, someone eventually saw him from across the parking lot as he ran through a well lit area

We had an issue with our gated underground garage. We had security but there was a point in the morning where they’d leave and there was a gap of no security.

Criminals figured this out. Change up your guards path and times. Have him start at a different location and different times every day.

Then obviously if you could get approved add cameras but that’s a big ask of the owners and what’s in your budget.

I often remind residents to not leave anything in their car! Nothing inside, no reason to break in. Unfortunately, when thieves want something, they figure out a way to take it. Perhaps have your patrol company or police have a resident meeting/invite to your next event. They will back you up! Good luck 

Do you guys have cameras? I'm talking the good ones you can see at night. We have those and it stopped almost immediately cause we linked it to a specific person who the police were able to arrest.

We looked into more cameras for my property & found we would have to install wireless routers in at least another 4 locations that would require internet service to each. The cost of just the internet service at the needed high speed to send the live camera feed was over $1,000 a month. That doesn't even cover the cost of the cameras or monitoring. Needless to say, we nixed that idea.

Renter's Insurance requirement will lessen the pain for your residents.

They’ll raid your property for a week or two then move on to another property. Car thieves tend to migrate. If they stick around, they’ll get busted.

Install a speaker as a deterrent that can be monitored and activated

Cameras wouldn’t help you. They’ll only cover their face and remove their license plates from their vehicle. We’ve caught them on camera before and it doesn’t worry them at all. Your best bet would be to increase your security patrol. The best power is manpower. Stagger their schedule as well. Sometimes the criminals study the schedule and come while the guards on gone. You could also invest in a on-site Courtsey officer as well if you haven’t already 

Cameras with live monitoring would work. A human is watching the camera at a monitoring center and can activate a speaker as a deterrent and then either notify the security guard or send police

*Send out an email to all your tenants, Warning them of the break ins and asking them to hide or remove valuables from their vehicle.

*Temporarily increase your security patrols.

*Ensure the security vendor is breaking up their patrol pattern and ensure they are actually coming on site and performing duties.

*Install “Security Patrol” signs at every entrance.

*Partner with local law enforcement. Police Departments frequently have community liaison officers that will help coordinate more attention being given to your community.

*Think about installing an obvious camera at each entrance to give the illusion of more security at the property.

We had this issue at a site any years ago. Our courtesy officer /police officer had sticky notes he placed on cars that said something like "I see items in your car I would steal if I was a theif. From the local PD" something like that, I guess they use them periodically around town. I dont know if it helped but hopefully people took the hint and didnt leave items lay out I their cars. Typically car thieves look in cars and break in when doors are unlocked or items are visible... or so they said

Your police should be out looking. Guarantee it is not just your community.

We recently had this happen. Cameras will not help, they literally looked at ours and gave us the bird. All the cameras show is “yep, criminals are busting windows out” but even as high quality as our cameras are, you can’t see through face masks and hoodies.

Lease to local law enforcement and give a discount..make it a requirement that they drive their patrol vehicles home. It really is a deterrent...and a win win for everybody.

Build a relationship with your local PD. Take them pizzas or cookies or something and make them your new friend! Ask them to please roll through the community at different hours of the day. Staggered hours and a regular presence will help. Maybe even get together with other managers at your comps for a safety meeting.

Our police department has a flyer that lists things to prevent car break ins at home and in shopping center's. I got a pdf copy of it and posted it on every apt door and put it on Facebook. With Christmas around the corner it is a good reminder. Once I posted it on all the doors and someone yelled at me because their car got broken into, I went down the list, did you leave anything in your vehicle in plain sight? Almost always the answer was yes. I would then ask them if they needed another police dept flyer about car break in prevention. Silence... I also asked if they made a police report and to share the case #. Many do not want to call the police they want to blame you. Put the ball back in their basketball court.