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As you may already know, Downtown parking garages are getting cameras installed. I think that it is a great idea. The garages should have cameras. I do have a couple of concerns. My major concern is why they have clear domes? Everybody knows that a tinted dome on the ceiling is a camera. The clear dome simply allows would-be criminals to time their break ins to the camera. Whether you believe it or not, a car can be broken into and the criminal can escape in under 60 seconds. A few months ago, a couple of Downtown garages were hit by criminals that broke into cars and stole the GPS units out of the windshields. They would drive into the garage in a stolen car. They would drive slowly through the garage looking for GPS devices. When they found one, the passenger would exit the vehicle, smash the window, snatch the GPS, return to the car and exit the garage. Sometimes, they would hit three or four cars on the way out. They break-ins have stopped but more due to the increased diligence of patrolling police and security guards from Downtown buildings. This is not just Downtown, either. A similar thing has happened in garages in Portsmouth and at the Oceanfront. It has even happened in parking lots at malls such as Lynnhaven and Greenbrier, where you can see the flashing lights of security a mile away, making it easier to target, break-in, and get away without being caught. Crime knows no boundaries.

These cameras should have tinted or reflective domes. People would still know that they are cameras but they would not be able to see which direction they were pointed. This would deter crime. A criminal however, is just like any other businessman. A criminal will research opportunities, evaluate risk versus reward, and make his decision. The cameras and increased patrols, increase risk. In order to fight the other two factors (opportunity and reward), we have to make people realize that they cannot leave valuables in sight. A GPS is easily visible and would bring in $50 or so at a pawn shop. If people will lock their doors and hide all valuables from view, they criminal’s opportunity is greatly reduced. If you take valuables with you, you reduce the reward. Finally, keep your cars either clean or completely trashy. If you have a fairly clean car, something as simple as an empty bag on the seat or floor may look like it could contain something of value. If you have a car that is definitively trashy (like mine usually), a criminal would have to see something worth having before breaking in. Common sense and diligence is the only way to stop criminals who break into cars short of hiring your own security.