copper – Centralized Vision

Phoenix Police Arrest Metal Thief at Arizona Recycling Facility

A Centralized Vision technician noticed that a male suspect was trespassing on the property of Arizona Recycling Corp. after seeing him on video surveillance going through copper and other metal materials in cardboard bins at 8:45 p.m. on Feb. 13, 2013. The technician immediately called the Phoenix Police Department’s dispatch center and three units were sent to inspect the property near downtown Phoenix.

In the video, the suspect was spotted on Arizona Recycling Corp.’s property by the spotlights from a Phoenix Police Department helicopter. Phoenix Police confirmed seeing the suspect on property at 8:57 p.m. Five police officers, along with a K-9 unit, entered the property at 9:17 p.m. to search for the suspect. At 9:25 p.m., two officers can be seen on video escorting the suspect on the property in handcuffs.

The Centralized Vision technician confirmed with Phoenix Police Department’s dispatch at 10:29 p.m. the suspect was arrested and going through processing at a local jail.

Scottsdale Police Arrest Metal Thieves After Video Surveillance Capture at Vacant Auto Dealership

By Tom Vigilante, Jr.

A large portion of our client base at Centralized Vision that we provide video surveillance monitoring for are auto dealerships throughout the Phoenix metropolitan area. Overall, we provide remote-camera monitoring with real-time response options at 14 car dealerships in Arizona.

The dealerships have a variety of reasons (theft, trespassing, vandalism) of why they would need a company like ours to routinely monitor closed-circuit video cameras on their properties at various times throughout the day. However, a technician at our centralized tech center noticed suspicious activity after seeing two trespassers on camera recently at the vacant Infiniti of Scottsdale dealership we monitor in Scottsdale.

As you can see while watching the video, the cameras we monitor caught two suspects climbing over a locked gate on the property. After numerous cameras on the property provided detailed video images of the two suspects collecting copper pipes and other metals, our technician contacted the Scottsdale Police Department’s dispatch operator to alert local authorities of the criminal activity.

Within five minutes, one Scottsdale police officer was at the property, and another unit arrived at the auto dealership shortly after. Later in the video, the police officers can be seen arresting the suspects and also locating a bag of metal objects the criminals stashed on the property. The Scottsdale police officers were in contact with our technician to verify they were apprehending the correct people.

Although we usually see people trying to steal copper and other metals from recycling facilities we monitor, this video capture is proof that any crime can be committed on the property of various types of businesses.

Tom Vigilante, Jr. is President & Founder of Centralized Vision, which has offices in Phoenix, Las Vegas and Denver. For more information on real-time video verification services or GPS monitoring, go to centralizedvision.com or call 855-888-8094.

Centralized Vision Tabs Casey Casdorph as Company’s 2012 “Tech of the Year”

By Tami Vigilante

My husband, Tom, and I have seen incredible growth for our company in the video security monitoring industry since starting Centralized Vision five years ago. In 2012, we grew our revenues more than 30 percent and expect similar growth in 2013 as well.

The main ingredient that has allowed our company to grow exceptionally fast is the family atmosphere we created at Centralized Vision. We have a group of dedicated employees that are passionate about their jobs and understand the importance of protecting the assets that Centralized Vision is contracted to monitor for our clients.

However, Casey Casdorph stood out among all of the employees at our company this past year and was named Centralized Vision’s 2012 Tech of the Year.

As a tech working from our centralized tech center at company headquarters in Phoenix, Casey monitors closed-circuit security feeds from surveillance cameras located on the properties we manage for our clients.When seeing suspicious activity through the camera surveillance monitors on his computer screen, Casey logs the activity in our computer system and can use a variety of methods to deter the suspect from committing a crime, including dispatching local law-enforcement authorities to the property.

In 2012 alone, Casey captured seven suspects on camera either trespassing or stealing from properties we monitor. One incident included a naked male trespasser near a trash dumpster behind a West Phoenix shopping center that attracted the attention of the Phoenix Police Department and its police helicopter hovering above the property. Video surveillance Casey captured from the incident was broadcast on local Phoenix television stations 3TV (KTVK-Ch. 3) and Fox 10 (KSAZ-TV, Ch. 10) during their nightly newscasts in October 2012. Casey also captured suspects steeling copper and other metals on video from a recycling facility Centralized Vision monitors in 2012.

Casey started working for Centralized Vision in July 2011 and focused on Information Technology while earning an AA degree from Phoenix College. He plans to pursue his Bachelor’s degree in the near future.

Congratulations Casey on being named Tech of the Year and providing deterrents and services to make the community safer for our family and others to live in.

Tami Vigilante is Executive Vice President & Co-Founder at Centralized Vision. For more information on real-time video verification services or GPS monitoring, go to centralizedvision.com or call 855-888-8094.

Centralized Vision Camera Monitoring Leads to Copper Theft Arrest at Phoenix Recycling Facility

After a Centralized Vision technician noticed suspicious activity while monitoring surveillance cameras at a Phoenix recycling facility around 6 p.m. on October 27, 2012, he alerted the Phoenix Police Department about the incident. As the tech zoomed in with the security camera, he noticed the trespasser in the bottom-right corner of the screen was wearing a light-colored bandana over his face and a dark hat while he was removing copper metal from the facility.

At 6:13 p.m., Phoenix Police arrived at the facility and five officers along with a K-9 unit were allowed on the facility’s grounds to look for the suspect. As the officers and K-9 looked for the suspect on foot, camera surveillance showed a Phoenix Police helicopter shining its lights from above trying to find the suspect. At 7:14 p.m., Phoenix Police notified the Centralized Vision technician that the suspect was found and arrested.

Metal theft has become an epidemic in Arizona since the economic downturn started in 2008. Law enforcement agencies blame the trend on a combination of the unemployed seeking items to sell for cash and drug addicts looking to finance their next score. Insurance claims arising from metal thefts rose nationwide by 81 percent during the last three years compared with the number of claims filed from 2007-08, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

Centralized Vision Expands Into Denver & Las Vegas Markets

By Tom Vigilante, Jr.

We have seen our company grow rapidly since founding Centralized Vision in 2007. In just five years, we have developed a great book of business in providing real-time visual monitoring of auto dealerships, retail centers, recycling facilities, office buildings and warehouse distribution centers throughout the Phoenix metropolitan area.

Two years ago, we diversified our company after launching an operator division to track GPS devices and monitor convicted felons and individuals with special-needs suffering from cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s, dementia or autism.

Now, we are ready to take another step forward by expanding Centralized Vision’s resources into the Denver and Las Vegas markets.

We are excited about the potential Denver and Las Vegas bring to our company because both metro areas are similar to Phoenix. According to 2009 crime data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Phoenix averaged 410 reported property crimes per 10,000 residents. Denver was not far behind with an average of 348 property crimes reported per 10,000 residents, followed by Las Vegas with an average of 345 crimes. All three markets have also seen an increase in the growing epidemic of copper and HVAC thefts from residential and commercial properties.

We have already secured one client in Las Vegas and plan on reaching out to more businesses through sales efforts from our Phoenix headquarters. Our newest employee, Casey Kowal, will lead all of our sales and customer service efforts in the Denver market.

As Centralized Vision’s Business Development Representative, Kowal will be successful in extending our brand throughout the Mile High City because of her great communications skills, an attention-to-detail personality and a follow-through customer service approach. She has been successful in sales efforts throughout her career and we know she will help our company grow in Denver.

We are really excited to start talking to companies in Denver and Las Vegas about how Centralized Vision can be a service to them. However, it is more important that our company can be a solution to prevent increases in property crimes reported in both markets as well.

Tom Vigilante, Jr. is President & Founder at Centralized Vision. For more information on real-time video verification services or GPS monitoring, go to centralizedvision.com or call 855-888-8094. For businesses in the Denver area looking to connect with Casey Kowal, please email her at caseyk@centralizedvision.com.