THE INCIDENT:
At a high-traffic outdoor shopping center began implementing both physical guarding and VirtuGuard™ interactive remote video monitoring to combat theft, vandalism, loitering, and other nuisances. BOS Security connected to their existing cameras and other security infrastructure and added a VirtuGuard™ Mobile Surveillance Trailer to surveil the main parking lot. In addition to camera monitoring, the Surveillance Trailer is equipped to engage with people onsite through audio speaker announcements and deterrent strobe lights. Early on a Saturday morning, VirtuGuard™ received an alarm in the Command Center, triggered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the Mobile Surveillance Trailer cameras. Command Center Agents immediately observed three individuals running around in the parking lot. Soon after VirtuGuard™ became alerted to the activity, one individual appeared to pull out a gun and pointed it at the other two individuals.
THE RESOLUTION:
Immediately after observing one individual point a gun at the other two, a VirtuGuard™ Agent immediately activated the strobe lights on the trailer and initiated the emergency voice down procedure to engage with the individuals, notifying them that they were being live monitored and that local law enforcement had already been dispatched. At the same time, another Agent was calling local law enforcement, providing details of the location of the event and the ongoing activity of the individuals. After being alerted by the voice announcement, the three individuals began running in the direction of a nearby Chick-Fil-A and KFC, the individual with the gun appearing to be chasing the others. The Agent continued to monitor them until they exited camera view. Soon after, VirtuGuard™ observed a local patrol car enter the parking lot in search of the individuals.
PROACTIVE & REACTIVE SECURITY SOLUTION:
Had the parking lot been unsecured and unmonitored, a potentially fatal shooting could have occurred and been left unnoticed until patrons arrived at the shopping center hours later. Incidents like this damage the reputation of a shopping center and in turn reduce the customer traffic of the stores. Rather than the security cameras being used to record and reference after something has already occurred, remote video monitoring allowed for virtual guards to virtually engage with the individuals immediately through the audio speaker. By alerting the individuals that they were being monitored and that law enforcement was already dispatched, the individuals removed themselves from the property and VirtuGuard™ disrupted what could’ve been a deadly confrontation, and in turn a negative impact on the reputation and business of the shopping center
