In the early hours of June 30, a group of thieves smashed into a luxury car dealership in Cleveland, Ohio, and walked off with three high-end vehicles. Surveillance footage captured the break-in at Bernie Moreno’s Cleveland Motorsports showroom in North Olmsted, where four suspects used a stolen Dodge Charger to ram through the showroom doors. One vehicle was later recovered, but three luxury cars, a Bentley, a Mercedes-Benz, and an Aston Martin, are still missing.
Police say the suspects were inside the dealership for just under two minutes. In that short time, they broke in, grabbed the keys, and made off with cars worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
This isn’t just a story about stolen cars. It’s a wake-up call for auto dealers everywhere.
The Problem with Traditional Security
Even with on-site alarms and basic surveillance, the dealership was powerless to stop the theft. It took law enforcement nearly five minutes to arrive, but by then, the damage was done. There were no audio deterrents. No live intervention. No one to issue a warning. The security footage helped with investigation, but it didn’t prevent the crime.
How Virtual Guard Changes the Game
EyeQ Monitoring’s Virtual Guard system is designed for moments exactly like this. Instead of passively recording a crime, Virtual Guard uses AI and human oversight to detect, deter, and dispatch in real-time. Here’s what would’ve happened if Cleveland Motorsports had EyeQ Virtual Guard in place:
- Detection: AI-powered video analytics would have flagged the Charger as a suspicious vehicle loitering near the dealership before the break-in.
- Live Intervention: Within seconds of the forced entry, EyeQ’s U.S.-based SOC would have issued a real-time voice warning over loudspeakers, making it clear the suspects were being watched and police were on the way.
- Faster Dispatch: With verified video evidence, police could have been dispatched in under 60 seconds, not five minutes.
- Deterrence: Most criminals flee when they realize they’re being actively monitored and confronted.
A Pattern That Needs to Be Broken
High-value car thefts like this are becoming more common because criminals know the response gap is wide. They know it takes time to trigger alarms, alert law enforcement, and get boots on the ground. Virtual Guard closes that gap by cutting response time down to seconds and turning passive cameras into active protection.
Don’t Be Next
Dealerships can’t afford to rely on outdated security measures. The loss isn’t just financial, it’s reputational. Customers want to buy from businesses that are secure, proactive, and in control.
If you’re still depending on old-school surveillance, it’s time to rethink your strategy. EyeQ Virtual Guard turns your dealership into a fortress, without the cost and limitations of on-site security staff.
Ready to secure your dealership before it makes the news?
Talk to EyeQ Monitoring today about how Virtual Guard can stop crime before it starts.
