Technology has changed many aspects of our lives in recent years, and that’s no different for the security of your business. Remote video monitoring provides huge benefits for business and property owners when compared with conventional alarm systems.
Conventional CCTV cameras, which are still used widely across Western Canada, merely record what’s going on. Sometimes these cameras are even watched by expensive on-site security guards that can barely keep their eyes open during their shift.
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Topics:
SonaVision Online Monitoring
For more than 50 years, Sonitrol has been in the security business, engaged in not only monitoring alarms at our central monitoring station but also verifying those alarms and informing the local law enforcement officers of a potential crime in progress.
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Topics:
CCTV Video Surveillance,
SonaVision Online Monitoring,
Verified Security Alarms
No two businesses are alike. A school will have entirely different security needs from a construction site. By purchasing a generic conventional off-the-shelf alarm system for your business, you’re putting your business, assets, and employees at risk. Having a customized solution to fit your needs is important to staying secure.
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Topics:
Retail Security,
Government Building Security,
Office Workplace Security,
SonaVision Online Monitoring,
Security Systems for Schools,
Security for Place of Worship,
Security for Auto Dealerships
If you own or manage a retail store of any type, you know well about the threats you face on a daily basis. Internal loss and employee theft, armed robbery, break-ins, organized theft, vandalism and more ... are all very real threats that unfortunately become a reality for many retail stores across Western Canada.
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Topics:
Retail Security,
CCTV Video Surveillance,
SonaVision Online Monitoring,
Verified Security Alarms
During a construction project, there are always going to be security threats specific to construction sites that can be difficult to manage. Unprotected sites will have a high risk of theft of uninstalled materials, equipment (such as copper cables), and installed materials, such as copper wire & pipes that can be torn out of walls. You have valuable assets to protect and deadlines to meet, and so security for construction sites should be top of mind.
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Topics:
Security Tips,
SonaVision Online Monitoring,
Security for Construction Sites

I am writing to say thank you to the Calgary Police Department for their remarkable response to a B&E in my tire compound over the weekend. Just after 2:00AM on Saturday morning, your Sonavision Live Monitored Video system detected a man entering my compound and dispatched the Calgary Police immediately.
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Topics:
CCTV Video Surveillance,
SonaVision Online Monitoring
Car dealerships, RV dealerships, and all kinds of vehicle and machinery dealerships, face many different security risks. With open lots, glass showrooms, and service centres filled with valuable inventory - it’s no wonder they become a target for theft and vandalism.
Dealerships are vulnerable not only to break-ins to try and get the keys, but also to theft by stripping vehicle parts such as catalytic converters, air bags, navigation systems, pick-up tailgates, tires, and rims. You have valuable assets to protect - so security should be top of mind.
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Topics:
Retail Security,
CCTV Video Surveillance,
SonaVision Online Monitoring,
Security for Auto Dealerships
I often get asked by people checking out security systems for their business for first time, “I’m looking for an electronic security system for my business, should I go with a CCTV system purchased from by local electronics retailer or Big Box Store?”
The simple answer is “No” and here's why:
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Topics:
CCTV Video Surveillance,
SonaVision Online Monitoring
If you have any quantities of copper wire, copper pipes, or other components made of copper, on your construction site, or being held in your warehouse, you need a verified alarm system to protect those valuable assets. Vacant buildings should also be protected as thieves can gain entry into these buildings and spend multiple days pulling wire & piping out of the walls, leading to repairs with huge costs.
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Topics:
Prevent Copper Theft,
SonaVision Online Monitoring
Fenced compounds and fences construction sites often contain valuable stock, equipment, building materials or vehicles … making them an appealing target for would-be thieves. And in the eyes of a criminal, a fenced perimeter is only a small hurdle between them and your valuable items.
There are many cases of break-ins where the criminal has simply hopped the fence or cut through it … and sometimes even smashed through the front gate with their vehicle. Or worse, maybe one of your employees has purposely left the gate unlocked to allow the thieves to gain entry.
But what if you’ve already implemented security measures to protect your compound from theft and vandalism?
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Topics:
CCTV Video Surveillance,
SonaVision Online Monitoring,
Security for Fenced Compounds,
Verified Security Alarms
It’s one of the biggest issues facing local municipalities and provincial governments across Canada – the high cost of providing public safety and security through policing. Policing, whether managed through local forces or outsourced to larger organizations like the RCMP, is expensive and is a big part of public budgets everywhere.
This is happening at a time when public security is receiving much more attention; cyber crime, international crime rings, gang crime, smuggling, fraud networks, and terrorism. Police forces are put in the unenviable position of needing to do more work with less funding.
The largest draws on police time is answering false alarms. It’s estimated that alarms for break-ins and theft can make up 20% of calls to police services. And here’s the real problem - over 97% of the alarm calls to police are false alarms … costing major cities over $12 million per year ... what a waste!
Police units don’t have the time to respond to false alarms. It’s clearly a waste of vital resources and taxpayers dollars.
If all false alarms could be eliminated tomorrow, the police would gain time to work on real issues that are impacting your community. Could the police use a 20% increase in manpower - you bet they could!
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Topics:
CCTV Video Surveillance,
SonaVision Online Monitoring,
Police Response to Sonitrol,
Verified Security Alarms,
Prevent False Alarms
Every second counts when a criminal attempts to gain entry into your business. It may take only a few minutes for thieves to get away with your precious goods or cause significant damage to your premises.
Using a CCTV security system can help prevent crime. CCTV Video technology has come a long way over the years and can be a powerful deterrent to theft and vandalism, but choosing the right CCTV system may be a challenge, as there are a lot of options available.
Conventional CCTV cameras just record what they see and can help you supervise staff, view customers, ensure WCB rules are being followed, and even help you record the fact that the right products were shipped or received without damage.
But did you know that conventional CCTV cameras are not an effective protection against asset theft or vandalism. Conventional CCTV cameras do not catch criminals for the simple fact that they are often not integrated into a larger alarm system, they're not monitored 24/7 by security professionals, and they are unverified.
The truth is, conventional CCTV cameras are ineffective and downright useless in providing real security monitored protection and stopping crimes-in-progress.
If you want to stop a crime-in-progress, and prevent criminals from gaining entry to your site and stealing your inventory, then you need a more sophisticated "Verified CCTV" security system.
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Topics:
CCTV Video Surveillance,
SonaVision Online Monitoring,
Verified Security Alarms
Construction sites and compounds frequently have security problems, break-ins after dark, and employee pilfering during the day.
One of the best preventative measures I recommend to stop these types of crimes, is to install a remotely monitored CCTV camera surveillance system that will automatically trigger an alarm when a potential criminal event occurs.
This is not a conventional CCTV system that just records what takes place, this is a Sonitrol construction security system, called SonaVision, that instantly relays or "pushes" the video stream to a 24/7 central monitoring station, where professional monitoring staff can view and assess if the activity is potentially criminal, or just a false alarm.
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Topics:
CCTV Video Surveillance,
SonaVision Online Monitoring,
Security for Construction Sites,
Building Access Control
When your alarm goes off in the middle of the night, you need the peace of mind knowing that criminals are apprehended before they are able to do any damage to your business.
Verified security solutions are the most effective method of securing and protecting your business. They not only reduce your false alarm rate, but they also ensure fast police response times and criminal apprehensions.
Verified alarms help police catch criminals so they don’t get away with your precious goods, endanger your employees or vandalize your property.
What Is A Verified Alarm?
Integrated Sonitrol security technology is unique. We use two types of verified security alarms – audio intrusion detection and live monitored video - CCTV. When your alarm is tripped, our unique push technology allows our expert operators to monitor your business live via these audio and CCTV security systems from the central monitoring station.
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Topics:
CCTV Video Surveillance,
SonaVision Online Monitoring,
Monitored Audio Alarms,
Verified Security Alarms
Home-made flame throwers, guns and knives are the weapons of choice for armed robbers who hope to
make a clean getaway after raiding pharmacies for opiates and opioids to be sold on the street.
Criminals target the highly addictive and lucrative narcotics readily available at many pharmacies, making pharmacies as well as pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution facilities particularly vulnerable to break-ins from armed robbers.
“Hundreds of thousands of units of oxycodone, morphine and other “opioids” are still being robbed, pilfered or otherwise lost from the pharmacy supply chain, despite some recent improvements, the statistics reveal.” – National Post
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Topics:
SonaVision Online Monitoring,
Security for Pharmacies,
Building Access Control
Calling all vaults around the world ... you have to upgrade your security alarms to a Verified Active Audio Security System.
The recent Hatton Garden jewelry heist has the makings of a Hollywood movie. A gang of six thieves plotted to commit a bold robbery of precious jewels and cash in London England’s jewelry district.
These sophisticated thieves patiently hid in an office building waiting for staff to complete their safety deposit centre lockup on Easter weekend.
Once the coast was clear, the criminals proceeded to rappel down an elevator shaft until they reached the basement. After cutting through metal security bars, the jewel thieves disabled the vault alarm system and used state-of-the-art tools to drill through an 18 inch thick reinforced metal door! The drilling would have made a lot of noise and yet there were no active audio alarms used, just CCTV.
The bold gem thieves raided over 70 safety deposit boxes, returning twice within the 3-day heist. And they got away clean although it was all recorded on CCTV so owners and investigators could watch after the fact.
This case is an example where how a conventional motion sensor/ door contact security alarm failed to protect precious gems valued at 200 million pounds.
So what went wrong?
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Topics:
CCTV Video Surveillance,
SonaVision Online Monitoring,
Monitored Audio Alarms
Every retailer knows that carelessly handled inventory and internal “shrinkage” can add up to a serious bottom-line problem. But when your inventory is literally made up of precious gems, lots of gold, high-end custom jewelry, and the most expensive luxury handbags and fashion accessories you can imagine, a single item of lost inventory can add up very quickly indeed, and the "loss" of more than one item can be financially huge with a large impact on your bottom line.
Add to this the temptation that a random smash-and-grab thief may have, or the specific targeting of a luxury goods store by sophisticated and organized criminals, often armed, then you'll quickly see the need and importance to have a top quality security solution.
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Topics:
Retail Security,
CCTV Video Surveillance,
SonaVision Online Monitoring,
Monitored Audio Alarms,
Building Access Control
In the month of January alone, we received three thank you letters from Kal Tire locations throughout Alberta. Kal Tire uses fenced compounds for storage and distribution, and unfortunately, they are easy to gain entry to and are targeted by thieves who hope to get away with their products.
Since installing our SonaVision Live Monitored Video, would-be thieves who have attempted to steal Kal Tire products have been met with quick police response. Our Sonitrol operators verify the alarm and dispatch police who respond within minutes of the break-in!
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Topics:
SonaVision Online Monitoring,
Security for Fenced Compounds
A recent article in SDM Magazine, “Are DIY and MIY Heralding Alarmageddon,” by Rob Baxter, discussed the interesting topic of MIY Home Security Systems and the power of verified alarms.
With "Monitor It Yourself" (MIY) growing as a solution in the home alarm industry, it is likely that it will expand into commercial alarm security.
But is MIY an effective commercial security solution?
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Topics:
SonaVision Online Monitoring,
Verified Security Alarms
The Retail Council of Canada reports retail theft costs $4 billion a year, an average loss to retailers of $10.8 million per shopping day!
And according to Calgary Police Service’s Crime Prevention Unit, organized retail crime is on the rise. Combined with employee theft, counting errors, damaged goods and fraud, it is forecast that retail shrinkage will become even more damaging to your bottom line.
How can you protect your business from organized retail crime?
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Topics:
Retail Security,
SonaVision Online Monitoring,
Building Access Control