Incident Guides / Unauthorized gate entry

Self-Storage Cameras for Unauthorized Gate Entry

At a storage facility, the gate is the main vehicle choke point. The investigation question is usually whether the vehicle, plate and gate credential belong together.

Best evidence pattern: gate access log + contextual vehicle camera + dedicated plate view.

Separate context from plate capture

A wide gate camera should show the vehicle, occupants and direction of travel. A dedicated plate camera should be aimed narrowly enough to control angle, plate size and exposure. Do not force one camera to do both jobs.

Correlate the gate event

Keep gate-controller and NVR clocks synchronized. If a code opens the gate at 2:13 AM, staff should be able to jump directly to the corresponding plate/context footage.

Tailgating matters here too

A second vehicle can follow an authorized customer through the gate without presenting its own credential. Preserve enough approach/departure context to show whether multiple vehicles crossed on one gate event.