Considering the cost of wireless security cameras nowadays. I'm surprised they aren't all over the place.

Security cameras would not have identified the thieves.

If it's not nailed down, someone will attempt to steal it... not to mention that NT is in a bad neighborhood.

The theives probably sold the tires for $5 each to buy some crack. Sad.

"Security cameras would not have identified the thieves."

Why not? It's not like it hasn't been done before.

If you want to catch them; just put an order in for a set of tires and rims, thats how they caught the guys that kept breaking into remington tires. although they only got a slap on the wrist and were back out the next day.

Too bad there's not a Timmy's around there.

Why did Northern Toyota remove the excellent high fence it had around its entire property?

How much of this kind of theft was going on when the fence was still there?

Damage to a new vehicle should disqualify it from being sold as new unless the buyer is made aware of the fact that the new vehicle is actually an already repaired one and doesn't mind.

For 18 to 20 thousand dollars a half dozen day and night vision cameras can be installed in secure locations to monitor the whole dealership and the adjacent streets.

Or has society become so spineless that it just cuts is losses and lets the criminals get away with this rather then going to all the trouble and costs of arresting, convicting and jailing them?

It that's the case, why even bother reporting it in the news?

According to The Citizen this morning, Northern Toyota took down the fence to make the place appear more 'friendly' and less imposing. Of course, the theives took advantage of this.

Maybe Toyota will take the hint and move out of that crime-ridden neighborhood like Wood Wheaton did.

How about photograph them, get the Renegades to track them down. chop two fingers off, drop them off at the hospital. Kind of a vigilante method, but it is a way to get the message across.

Hmmmm worked five hundred years ago.

Dropping the two fingers off at the hospital is an excellent idea!

NT has been in that location longer than most residents of that area. Instead of forcing a profitable business to leave its profitable location location location, spend some efforts in that neighborhood with more police presence and enforcement, especially around commercial entities. Maybe the RCMP could convince Timmie's to open a store on spruce or redwood. There is even an empty lot right behind the NT lot.

Well said Loki. Unfortunately the police are too few in number, or so they say.
Why should a long time business have to relocate to avoid thefts from scumbags?
Deal with the scum bags and there is no longer an issue. Set some traps, electrify the car bodies, hide rough men in dark corners, to wreak havoc upon scum bags who would steal from straight people to support their filthy habits. Oh, according to Frank Peebles' embarrasing front page headline, the thieves are already known; they are called the "Northern Toyota Bandits"
metalman.

Too funny diplomat. thanks for the chuckle :-)

Now that the whole town knows how easy it is to put several a cars up on blocks, remove the wheels and leave without anyone observing it, Toyota should be prime pickins unless they have already taken some action to change that.

So when will the Northern Toyota Bandits move to the streets like they did in some USA downtowns decades ago?

Has anyone noticed how these crimes are NOT in downtown PG?

I have noticed that I get asked for spare change more and more in suburban parking lots.

Yes, for sure Gus. I've been asked for change twice in the Spruceland parking lot in the past week. It's not just downtown anymore.

Just tell them your boss only paid you what you earned, he didn't give you any "spare" money. Sorry.

If anyone has ever noticed the local 'clientele' that hangs around all hours of the day and night around the 7-11 on 20th Ave, you would see why Toyota would be a target.

Businesses move all the time for various reasons, crime is pretty common. Maybe they should put big tall electrified fences and barbed wire around the lot, but the scumbags would probably dig under the fence.

The McDonald's isn't much better. I feel bad for the poor people that have to work there.

The business of Northern Toyota has plenty of computers they use in day to day transactions. Security cameras (even wireless ones) cost way less then 200 bucks for high resolution security, and would hook up to a single well protected system. Lights would benefit the whole neighborhood as well. All kinds of vermin avoid brightly lit areas and the cameras would identify the perpetrators.

Privacy be dammed if you invade a spot like that, although NT would have to put up warnings about things ("to ensure your safety"). The video captured could be uploaded live to the internet (only after the establishment is closed for the day), promoted and rewards could be given if someone spots suspicious activity that turns criminal and reports it, enabling successful crime prevention and capture. Crime stoppers could get into that action too!

Six burly law abiding fellows in a dark windowed Toyota van with baseball bats waiting for visitors to the lot after hours. Make sure they have gloves and baseballs so they can tell the cops they are waiting for a baseball game to start. When they see these sticky fingered "looky loos", they can go over to them with baseball bats and explain to them that it says in the Bible yer not supposed to steal. Make them "see the light". Can I get an Amen, brother?

According to a picture in the citizen, there is a fence that was compromised to gain access.
Conclusion: Fences are ineffective

Security cameras have issues as well. Most are so cheap that the image quality leaves a lot to be desired. Your $200 retail webcam is only 640x480. To acquire a reasonable quality camera is in the range of $2000 or more per unit with adequate night vision. To get adequate coverage of the vulnerable targets would entail at least six just for the main area of the parking lot. Don't forget the infrastructure to monitor those cameras. At least a computer with a few huge hard drives and some software for the remote monitoring or streaming on a web site. All totaled, about $20,000 of investment into security, plus HST.

Of course security often gets short shifted. Who wants to invest substantial resources into proactive preventative measures? It is cheaper just to do the quick wins and collect the insurance. In business, less expenditures means greater profit.

Just watch what NT does now. I bet very little other than file an insurance claim.

Harbinger: amen! too bad vigilantism is outlawed in Canada. Then there is the matter of compensation for the "ball players". Assuming a marginal wage for each at $14 x 8 hour shift X 7 days a week X 365 equals $1,716,960 per year, plus benefits. Its more economically feasible to just file a claim.

I highly doubt NT would file an insurance claim. They'll probably eat the loss.

Filing a claim would likely raise their premiums substantially. Most businesses have insurance for the 'big' stuff, i.e. fire. Realitively small losses are eaten and more than likely passed onto the consumer unfortunately.

Harb. AMEN! Loki, I think that the old fence was more substantial that the chain link version shown in the Citizen picture. I thought it was ornamental steel or aluminum. Expensive, but not as easy to defeat, and can be made to look less institutional too.
metalman.

Toyota was never hit hard prior to them removing the fence. I could always see what they had in the yard and I never did feel unwelcome whenever I dropped in to their dealership - fence or no fence. As a customer requiring my leaving a personal vehicle overnight there, I would feel much better if the place had a secure fence the like of which was there before.

Until this, Northland dodge, and PG motors on central were hit quite a bit by thieves and miscreants causing damage. No fence.

They took the fence down before someone could steal it and take it to the scrap yard.

Time to light up the streets! More lights or brighter lights would be more effective than some cameras.