2002 First Line of Defense Award

One Man’s Trash

...is another man’s treasure, and protecting it with a remote video surveillance system was Steve Becker’s job, helping him to secure the SDM/NBFAA First Line of Defense Award.

SDM Magazine
By Helen Kolettis

On the morning of December 2, 2000, Frank Zatika awoke to discover what many of us often do — he had overslept. As co-owner of Absolute Auto and Truck Salvage in Middlesex, N.J., it was his responsibility to open shop that day. However, thanks to the new security system that was installed just two weeks earlier, he did not have to scramble to get out the door.

Instead, Frank sat down at his home computer and called up his business on his monitor, through a remote video connection. He knew that other employees were scheduled to work early that day, and he wanted to see if they were able to get in, as some of them had keys to the shop. He logged onto the system, and began to view the office and yard. He was glad to see that his employees were able to get in. But his sense of relief was short-lived.

As he observed the activity in his shop, he noticed an employee open a drawer that held a cash box. The employee then opened the box, removed some cash, and placed it back in the drawer. All the while, he was being watched and recorded, and all the while he was none the wiser.

Enhancing a Good System

Security dealer Steve Becker (center) shares the satisfaction of having provided effective security with his customers, Frank (left) and Joe Zatika (right).

DDS Home Automation and Security, Manville, N.J., installed the security system that caught the employee red-handed, and secured them the First Line of Defense Award. This was not the first time that DDS had worked with Absolute Auto. DDS has been protecting Absolute Auto for the past six years.

“We joined the local chamber of commerce and met Frank and Joe Zatika (co-owner) through the chamber,” says Steve Becker, partner and sales/design engineer, DDS Home Automation and Security. “For about six years, we had been protecting the office and outdoor area of the auto salvage yard with four infrared beams that were strategically located in the yard’s high-risk areas and connected to an Ademco alarm system. The system, which is monitored by Securall Monitoring in Brick, N.J., would be triggered often. Because it is a salvage yard, it was not uncommon for debris to be blown around and set off the alarm, sometimes four or five times nightly. The customer was not connected directly to the police station, because they would have incurred several fines. So when an alarm did trip, employees were responsible for driving to the site and determining the cause.”

This routine soon became tiresome for Frank and Joe, so they decided to do something about it. They called on their friends at DDS to install a new system that would make their lives easier.

“We decided to install indoor and outdoor cameras that would be hooked up to a remote video transmission system,” Becker says. “The cameras were installed on the building and were pointed toward multiple locations of the yard. Now, when a motion detector goes into alarm mode, the VCR begins to record and the panel sends the code to the central station. The central station notifies the owner on call, who then goes to his computer and begins to use the remote video transmission system. This system enables the owners to view the cameras on their property or office. Any type of movement transmits the video back to their home computer.”

Caught in the Act

Silent Witness Night Hawk cameras mounted on rooftops oversee DDS Security’s customer’s auto salvage yard. They have built-in infrared illuminators for nighttime surveillance.

After viewing the employee taking money from the box, Frank headed to work. He viewed tapes from the prior few weeks, and saw that this was not the first time the employee had taken money. He immediately called the police, and played the tape for the responding authorities. He made a copy for the police, and the employee was arrested and prosecuted. In total, he had stolen just over $3,800.

Since its installation, this system has been responsible for evidence in 14 arrests. It has made it easier for the local police to find the thieves, and has paid for itself many times over. The complete system now gives this family operated business the confidence of security.

“It’s really a great feeling to know that a system we provided has helped so much,” Becker says. “Most of our work is residential, so it’s rare that we get to see exactly what effect our systems have.”

For the future, Absolute Auto does not have any immediate plans to upgrade or improve their system.

“Right now the system is working really well for them, and they are happy with the results,” Becker says.

However, if need be, they can call on their old friends at DDS for some help.

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