Security company’s video verification helps Amarillo Police catch burglars in the act
AMARILLO, Texas November 3 2019 It is common to see a logo for a security company on the door of a business or even a house, warning would-be burglars from breaking and entering. But thanks to new technology, one security professional told us his company is helping law enforcement to make more arrests at crimes in progress.
Earlier today we visited Allstate Security Industries, Inc’s alarm response center. There, operators use live video verification to determine if crimes are in progress and immediately dispatch law enforcement.
Twice this month, they have helped police to make arrests at local businesses, and we have it on video.
The first arrests happened at Sharp’s Motorsports on Tuesday, where two people broke in and attempted to steal and vandalize several vehicles.
Eventually, they tried to ram the gate and you can see a police cruiser pull up at the top of the screen, eventually catching them. Both suspects were arrested.
Earlier this month at Buttons and Bows Daycare, someone was spotted with Allstate Security’s cameras siphoning gas from the daycare’s van. This suspect was also caught in the act and arrested.
Paul McInally with Allstate Security said dispatching law enforcement preemptively is key.
“So, with video verification, we’re seeing that live break-in or attempt. Somebody’s just scaled a fence got into somebody’s secure area, we’re actually then contacting law enforcement straightaway, communicating with them on dispatch from our operators here in the monitoring station and able to actually get an apprehension, and often then a prosecution,” said McInally.
McInally said their alarm response center is always working. He told us often crimes like these would go undetected, as they are outside of secure premises, but not with video verification.
McInally said the cooperation with law enforcement is another reason why they are able to catch crimes in progress. Operators can see that live video and give Amarillo Police exact descriptions of the suspects. He said APD’s response time is usually within minutes.
McInally added Allstate Security’s system can work with any existing cameras already on a business or residential property.
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