After finally finishing up the last of the inventory count at my quaint little novelty shop, I was beat!
It was super late and I had to be up ridiculously early to help roll out our new promo. I turned off the lights, set the new business security system alarm and stepped out into the dark alley to lock the doors behind me.
A shiver rippled over my bare skinned arms as I twisted my key in the lock and felt a wash of cold air rush past me. I could feel my heart thudding violently in my chest as my anxiety rose sharply.
Leaving late was not my preference; it was always a little creepy rushing to my car in a dark narrow alley shadowed by bushes.
“This is a prime setting for a horror flick,” I silently scolded myself, “I should’ve parked out front there’s no security system set up out here!” Brushing aside the thought, I turned around and cold eyes locked onto mine from the bushes across the alleyway.
Crippled by the thoughts that nobody knows where I am and no-one would know something was wrong, my heart pounded harder. I can make it, I have one shot…oh my god please let me make it… I inhaled sharply while simultaneously disarming my car and lunging inside.
As a disgruntled dark clothed man lunged forward from the bushes, I cranked my key in the ignition, whipped the car into reverse and peeled out of the alley crying like a mad woman. Haunted by what just happened and plagued the possibilities of what could have happened had I not gotten away, I rushed to the nearest Police station. Thank goodness my new security system was in place to protect the property but I was kicking myself wishing I had opted in for the video surveillance too! Maybe that would have prevented this situation from happening or at least we would be able to have a record of what happened! They sent out a couple of officers to check out the alley, and in the end, they found nothing. They just let me know to contact them if I encountered him again. Hopeless, nauseated and exhausted I tumbled into bed and tried to calm my worried mind….Now what?
Many commercial properties have alley access which can be a strikingly attractive magnet for opportunists. Times have changed and we are only as safe as the measures we put in place to protect ourselves. Having high quality video footage capturing this particular incident could have made a huge difference in what happened next. The Police would’ve reviewed the footage and could have possibly identified the suspect, and who knows, maybe he’s a repeat offender and there could have been consequences. The key component to remember with video surveillance is quality. If you can positively ID someone, you have a stronger chance of capture and conviction which spells the difference between worry and relief.
We’re here to help guide you in navigating the best options for your situation and budgetary needs. We’ll give you a complimentary assessment and breakdown of what’s available in technology today so that you can customize a security system that makes sense.
