When cannabis was illegal in every state, pre-1996, it was not uncommon for illicit plants or packaged “product” to be stolen. Naturally, few people would go to the police to report that their stash of prohibited narcotics had been taken by thieves.
Interestingly, despite the warnings and claims of anti-cannabis advocates, local crime in areas that have since legalized the use and purchase of medical marijuana has decreased. The theory being that decriminalization lessens the incidence of petty theft, vice, and other assorted crimes thought to be indirectly associated with the trafficking of illegal substances.
While the debate continues on all of these points, one thing has been shown to be distressingly true: cannabis dispensaries have become prime targets for thieves since the advent of legalization.
Effective Cannabis Security: Proactive Response Versus Passive Deterrence
Cameras will deter some criminals.
This has been validated in practice and by numerous surveys and studies involving testimonies from incarcerated inmates serving time for theft, larceny, and burglary. The presence of visible security or surveillance cameras in a cannabis dispensary will prevent some theft and deter the less determined burglars.
But it won’t stop all attempts to steal your product.
In many instances across the United States, organized robberies of cannabis dispensaries have been carried out by mob or gang-related individuals intent on sourcing the stolen product to the black market. And, while the general business climate continues to improve for owners of these cannabis outlets, many still operate on a cash-basis making them prime targets for theft.
According to one article,
Robbers prefer to target businesses that store large amounts of cash. This is because cash doesn’t have to be exchanged into another form to be used, reducing the risk associated with robbing such businesses. There are a lot of dispensaries that only take cash because payment processors aren’t willing to work with them. Financial institutions have generally stayed away from dispensaries, as well.
Fortunately, as financial institutions become more comfortable doing business with cannabis dispensaries, the prevalence of robberies targeted at cash-only dispensaries will decrease. However, criminals will continue to target high-volume cannabis businesses because the product, the merchandise, continues to hold high street value in black market states.
The problem with current video security systems is their inherent passivity.
In other words, cameras can do nothing more than digitally record what occurs. If the mere presence of a camera does not deter a thief, then the crime will take place, the dispensary will be robbed, and the owners can do nothing but review the video footage after the fact.
While security personnel can serve a much more robust role in deterrence, the cost of having an onsite security guard or two 24/7 is prohibitive for most smaller dispensaries. And guards have limitations, as well. Especially if they are unarmed.
So, what is needed is a security system that can proactively protect your product.
Smart Security with Proactive Theft Prevention
At Blue Eye, we offer an innovative solution to the problem of security camera system limitations with AMI. Our system transforms your existing security camera network into a proactive theft prevention system.
This is possible with the integration of your existing security cameras that now act as sensors for AMI which contains AI software that can actively “watch” your property and provide the capability for proactive intervention if needed.
Our innovative CV (Computer Vision) assisted technology works together with human intelligence to detect potential problems as they occur.
Once a threat is detected, an alert is immediately sent to our command center and our Video Surveillance Technicians (VSTs) monitor the video feed. By viewing the property in real-time, the VST can assess the situation and take appropriate action.
Being proactive means effective deterrence.
In fact, in practically every instance, the only action required by the VST is to give a verbal warning over the loudspeakers on the property. We can address perpetrators directly with our 120dB speakers, which has been shown to end 99 percent of incidents. In the rare instance that this alone doesn’t stop the threat, the local police or private security is called.
In addition, the cost of our AMI video surveillance system is only about a third of the cost of hiring a security guard service.
A Proactive Theft Prevention Solution to Enhance Your Video Security Investment
With Blue Eyes’ proprietary AI software, our system can detect potential threats to your property and alert our highly trained Video Surveillance Technicians (VSTs) within seconds. The VSTs then respond in real-time to deter potential thrift, burglary, and other crimes.
Our proprietary method uses both artificial intelligence – AI – and human interaction, to provide a safe, reliable, and proactive security solution that utilizes your existing video cameras. And if you don’t have cameras yet, or you want more of them, we can assist you in finding the optimum video installation solution.
So, are you ready to upgrade your dispensary security system to a proactive security solution?
Call us today at 855.258.3662 or email us at [email protected]. Let us design an effective solution for your business!