Catalytic converter thefts are on the rise in Alberta, according to a new article from Global News, with complaints from consumers skyrocketing. The news is a strong signal to dealerships across Western Canada that they need to enhance their security measures.

Calgary Police (CPS) said catalytic converter thefts are a “quick crime,” taking less than a minute to pull off.

CPS added there has also been a dramatic increase over the past few years, with more than 1,000 thefts reported between January and August 2021, compared to 300 thefts reported last year.

The increase has been attributed to the rising price of the precious metals used in catalytic converters, which is increasing the demand for them. 

Police said there are only certain types of vehicles being targeted, usually high enough to crawl under and the catalytic converter is positioned lower down from the engine allowing for easy access.

While it’s primarily consumers who are being targeted by opportunistic thieves as they walk past a vehicle in the street, dealerships across Western Canada have certainly been victims of catalytic converter theft as well - and it can have a huge impact on their bottom line. 

With that in mind, we’ve created a quick list of tips that will help dealerships improve their security solution and avoid costly thefts.

Install a verified security solution 

Is your dealership still using traditional CCTV to secure its premises? That simply won’t do. 

To keep both the inside of your facility secure as well as the vehicles on your lot, your dealership should implement a verified security solution. 

Unlike traditional CCTV, verified alarms don’t just record break-ins - they monitor for security threats and then send a live audio or video feed to a security expert in a central monitoring station who is able to verify that the threat is real.

Once verified and the police are notified, police have an average response time of just 3.5 minutes across North America - compared to the 45 minutes average response time that police have for traditional CCTV surveillance.

With verified security, you’ll not only catch the criminal but you’ll stop them from making it off of your property with your assets. 

Keep spare catalytic converts locked up 

Your dealership will have lots of spare parts inside your facility. Criminals know this, and they know that it’s likely you may have some spare catalytic converters knocking around. If they are feeling bold enough, they might try to break their way into your facility to find them.

To lock up your inventory and protect your valuable items, consider installing managed access control.

Managed access control, also known as keyless entry, will lock areas of your facility in which you store valuable items. Even better, however, is that it will give you in-depth reporting into who was in which room and what time of the day.

Team up with your neighbours

Is your dealership located in a busy place where someone has eyes on activity during most hours of the day? Perhaps there are residential houses nearby or maybe there’s a business with long operating hours such as a gas station? 

Have a word with the owners of those properties. Let them know that if they see any suspicious activity occurring on your premises then they are free to either give you a direct call or phone the police if it seems more serious. 

Are you worried about the threat of catalytic converter theft or break-ins at your dealership? Get in touch with Sonitrol Western Canada today. We would be more than happy to give you a free security plan for your dealership.