---
title: Security is Key for Automotive Dealerships as Alberta Car Thefts Continue to Rise
description: The implementation of a robust security solution has never been more important for automotive dealerships in Western Canada, especially as new figures show that Alberta continues to be a hotbed for car thieves with links to organized crime. Here's how to keep your dealership secure.
image: https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/hubfs/Sonitrol_automotive_security.jpg
---

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# Security is Key for Automotive Dealerships as Alberta Car Thefts Continue to Rise

![Joe Wilson](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/hs-fs/hubfs/2024%20Website/Images/joe-blog-avatar.png?width=50&height=50&name=joe-blog-avatar.png)

 by [Joe Wilson](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/author/joe-wilson)

July 05, 2018

![Automotive dealership](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Sonitrol_automotive_security.jpg?width=800&name=Sonitrol_automotive_security.jpg)

The implementation of a [robust security solution](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/security-for-dealerships-video-monitoring-cctv-cameras) has never been more important for automotive dealerships in Western Canada, especially as new figures show that Alberta continues to be a hotbed for car thieves with links to organized crime.

Edmonton Police Service Det. Dwayne Karpo told reporters earlier this month at the annual Central Canadian Auto-Theft Association seminar that an average of 12 to 15 vehicles are stolen each day in Edmonton alone. 

The latest figures show that over 22,800 vehicles were stolen in Alberta in 2016, which is roughly a quarter of all vehicles stolen across Canada during the year, while a further 14,006 vehicles were stolen in British Columbia. On a per capita basis, Alberta is behind only Quebec for stolen unrecovered vehicles.

Experts claims that Edmonton’s central location in the province, its easy access to British Columbia and Saskatchewan and a transient population are all huge factors in the city's high car theft rate.

Either way, to protect assets, profits and the reliability of your business, automotive dealerships within Alberta and British Columbia must make sure they implement a security solution that prevents thieves from making off with vehicles, or suffer the consequences.

Here are some tips to improve your dealership’s security:

**Get rid of those old fashioned keys **

The traditional key and lock should be a thing of a past for most businesses, particularly those which carry a large amount of extremely valuable stock like automotive dealerships. [Managed access control](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/keyless-access-managed-access-control-office-building-security) is a form of keyless entry, in which you can limit employees access to specific rooms or during out-of-office hours.

Securing your building and locked compound with keyless entry will ensure that your expensive tools, specialty parts and your car keys are all secured. Installing such a system not only makes it harder for criminals to get in, it also helps to prevent internal theft.

Concerned about new technology? Don’t worry. Managed access control systems are easy to operate and user friendly. Lost or stolen cards can be deactivated with the click of a button and new cards can be easily set up.

**Prevent towing **

Make stealing your highest valued vehicles more difficult by parking them strategically and surrounding them with other vehicles, even making them impossible to drive off if you can.

You should also park your cars with the emergency brake on and the wheels turned sharply to one side. This will make it almost impossible for criminals to tow them away, and even if they succeed then the vehicle will likely be damaged in the attempt - making it worthless to the thief.

**Install bollards **

Dealerships can secure their perimeter by installing bollards that can be retracted. This would allow access in and out of the dealership during the day. However, the bollards can be raised after hours to prevent cars from being taken off the lot without severe damage. This works best if your dealership has only one entry point and your compound is fenced.

**Install verified surveillance **

Conventional surveillance cameras record everything on your property but, unfortunately, these old systems do not prevent crime. With a 98 per cent false alarm rate they have a slow police response time, that is if the police even bother to turn up. A [verified surveillance system](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/sonitrol-verified-alarms-vs-conventional-alarms) will truly help to secure your dealership.

Sonitrol Western Canada’s [Dealership Security Solution](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/security-for-dealerships-video-monitoring-cctv-cameras) combines the creation of a fenced compound, along with our innovative SonaVision verified video surveillance and active audio detection, to find any intrusion within your building.

Our unique and patented technology monitors both the inside and outside of your dealership at all hours of the day, and is activated by highly sensitive motion, heat and audio controls that detect criminals.

Once an intrusion is detected, Sonitrol’s 24/7 monitoring centre is informed and once they verify the intrusion they are able to directly contact the police. Police make verified alarms a priority, with an average dispatch time of 3-4 minutes for verified sonitrol alarms. This is vastly superior to conventional alarm systems that have no way of preventing theft as it’s happening.

**Get advice from a security expert **

Not sure what to do next? Sonitrol Western Canada is an expert in the security industry and we are more than happy to perform a security audit of your business and create a plan that’s designed uniquely for you.

For a no cost, no obligation, free custom security plan, [contact us today](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/contact-sonitrol-western-canada).

[![Free Dealership Security Audit](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/325814/b3f58d78-5cd5-487f-a198-a09bae8dfcff.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/325814/b3f58d78-5cd5-487f-a198-a09bae8dfcff)

**Tags: **

[Security for Auto Dealerships](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/topic/security-for-auto-dealerships)

![Joe Wilson](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/hs-fs/hubfs/2024%20Website/Images/joe-blog-avatar.png?width=50&height=50&name=joe-blog-avatar.png)

Post by [Joe Wilson](https://www.sonitrolwesterncanada.com/blog/author/joe-wilson)  
 July 05, 2018

 We provide our customers with the best commercial security solutions and quality service backed by our unique Guarantee and Commitment to Service. It's something unverified conventional alarm companies simply cannot guarantee!

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