Repeated vehicle break-ins had changed how residents at a Pretoria apartment complex used their property. Some had stopped parking inside the complex overnight because they were concerned about another incident. This case study explains how CCTV, access control and off-site monitoring changed that at a Pretoria complex.
The body corporate asked Tandem Security Systems to assess the problem and recommend practical improvements. Appointing another guard was not necessarily the answer. We first needed to understand where the existing security arrangements might be falling short.
Looking Beyond the Perimeter
The complex already had perimeter security and controlled entrance gates. However, the pattern and timing of the incidents did not appear consistent with intruders repeatedly forcing their way through the perimeter. The incidents also suggested some familiarity with the property and residents’ routines.
One possible weakness was the continued use of physical gate remotes. Over time, remotes can be lost, copied, lent to others or retained by former residents. If they are not individually identified and managed, it can be difficult to establish who used one to enter and when.
We could not assume that remotes had caused the break-ins. We could, however, improve control and accountability at the entrances.
Making Access Easier to Manage
We recommended replacing conventional physical remotes with app-based gate access. Gate activations could then be associated with registered users and access times, giving the body corporate a more useful record when managing residents or investigating an incident.
The system also makes it easier to add new residents and remove access when someone leaves, without relying on the return of a physical remote.
Other external entrances were secured, leaving two designated access points: the pedestrian entrance and the sliding vehicle gate. Both could then be covered as part of the CCTV and monitoring plan.
The approach was to manage access first, then use CCTV to help verify activity at those entrances.
Positioning CCTV at a Pretoria Complex
Camera positions were selected for the risks at this property. A camera outside the complex covers activity around the sliding vehicle gate. Other cameras inside cover the vehicle and pedestrian entrances from the property side.
AI-enabled cameras provide coverage across the grounds, including a rear area that previously had limited visibility. Warning signs at the entrances make visitors aware that the property is monitored.
Camera placement was only part of the work. We adjusted settings for the conditions at each position, including lighting, backlight and day/night performance. Detection areas were configured for relevant activity and can be refined as the monitoring team learns how the property is used.
That refinement matters. Too many irrelevant alerts can make it harder for operators to identify the events that need attention.
Giving the Monitoring Team a Chance to Respond
CCTV footage is useful after an incident, but this system was also designed to support a response while an event is taking place.
Selected cameras detect activity in defined areas at appropriate times and present relevant events to the off-site monitoring control room. An operator can assess what is happening and, where necessary, warn a person through a loudspeaker connected to the CCTV system. Armed response can be dispatched according to the agreed procedure.
The aim is to give the monitoring team an opportunity to act before a suspicious event becomes another vehicle break-in.
A Practical Tool for the Body Corporate
At the managing agent’s request, appropriate access to the gate and camera systems was provided to the person responsible for managing entrances on the client’s side.
When necessary, gate-access records can be compared with CCTV footage to help establish what happened around a particular time. The body corporate keeps resident information current as occupants move in and out; the system gives them better tools to manage that process.
Access control, CCTV and off-site monitoring now work together at this Pretoria complex. Each has a clear role, rather than operating as an isolated installation.
The Result
Since these changes were implemented, residents have returned to parking their vehicles inside the complex overnight. The improvements were made without appointing an additional security guard.
The lesson from this project is straightforward: repeated incidents call for an assessment of how a property is accessed, observed and monitored. The right changes depend on the risks, the budget and how the body corporate wants the complex to be managed.
Need Better CCTV for Your Pretoria Complex?
If your Pretoria complex is experiencing vehicle break-ins or other recurring incidents, contact Tandem Security Systems to arrange a security assessment. We can review the entrances, electric fencing, CCTV coverage and monitoring arrangements, then recommend practical improvements suited to your property and budget.
Call Johan Potgieter on 083 263 2681 or send a WhatsApp message to discuss your complex.