Dealership Uses Sign To Help Catch Criminals, Deter Crime

We’ve reported previously about thieves breaking into dealerships and being caught on camera, but in today’s story a dealer out of New Mexico is using a new approach, his billboard to catch would-be criminals.

The Auto Depot dealership in Albuquerque, New Mexico has a fresh approach to help track down potential thieves: put their faces on their giant digital billboard. The dealership has experienced theft in the past and they grew tired of it. The dealership had two break-ins in November. Getting sick and tired of the growing crime against their store the dealership decided to buy 16 more security cameras and if someone prowls their lot, the store plans to use that footage to make them billboard famous.

Two men who tried to break into the dealership recent had pictures of their faces as well as their getaway vehicle complete with license plate number up on the sign for thousands of motors to see. The dealership hopes the awareness will both help them catch the would-be criminals and deter theft in the future.

Douglas Bauder, the founder and CEO of Auto Depot told KOAT simply, “We’re just tired of the crime and we figured that since we had this sign, we might as well use it.”

Dealers try to prevent theft in numerous ways – do you know of any other dealers or business owners who put screenshots of surveillance footage on their outdoor sign?