What 1,000+ Annual Apprehensions Says About Your Security System

Most security systems are built to react. A door opens, a sensor trips, a siren sounds, and the expectation is that the noise will scare the intruder away before anything of value is taken.

The limitation of that approach is simple. Scaring someone off does not prevent them from returning. It does not stop them from targeting the business next door, and it does nothing to recover what may have already been taken. A reactive system may interrupt the moment, but it rarely interrupts the pattern.

At Sonitrol Security – Kimberlite, we measure success differently. For more than 13 consecutive years, our verified audio and video monitoring has led to over 1,000 documented criminal apprehensions annually. These are recorded outcomes reported year after year across California businesses, schools, and industrial facilities.

Why Apprehensions Matter More Than Alarms

According to FBI crime data, the average loss per commercial burglary is approximately $5,000. That number reflects what is taken. It does not include damage to doors, windows, and inventory. It does not factor in lost productivity, insurance deductibles, or the time spent managing the aftermath.

When a traditional alarm scares off an intruder, they leave, sometimes with property and sometimes without. Research on property crime shows that repeat offenses are common among burglary suspects, which means the same individual may simply move on to another target or return at a later date. Scaring someone away may stop the immediate incident, but it does not address the larger cycle.

Apprehension changes that equation. When intruders are caught in the act, they are removed from the immediate pattern of reoffending in your area. Instead of shifting the risk to another business, the threat is interrupted altogether.

Based on internal reporting and FBI average loss estimates, Sonitrol Security – Kimberlite has helped prevent an estimated $3.6 million in potential property losses over a recent two-year period by stopping crimes in progress rather than simply documenting them after the fact.

And here is a number that often surprises business owners. Approximately 15 percent of the criminals apprehended through our verified monitoring are caught before gaining entry, preventing theft and damage entirely.

Ready to see what verified security looks like for your business? Contact Sonitrol Security – Kimberlite at 1.888.SONITROL or request a consultation here.

How Verified Security Actually Works

Traditional alarm systems are built primarily around doors and windows. If someone enters through an unconventional access point, such as a roof, wall, or other vulnerable area, those systems may not respond until it is too late.

Sonitrol’s verified audio detection takes a broader approach. Instead of relying solely on perimeter contacts, the system is engineered to monitor the interior space itself, identifying the actual sounds associated with intrusion, including glass breaking, forced entry attempts, movement inside the building, and even voices. When an alert is received, trained monitoring professionals assess the situation in real time before contacting law enforcement.

That verification step is what changes the response dynamic. As an early adopter of the AVS-01 alarm validation standard, Sonitrol Security – Kimberlite provides responding officers with confirmed, real-time situational detail. Verified alarms qualify for enhanced dispatch classification, contributing to consistently low false alarm rates and more effective coordination with law enforcement.

Nearly 50 Years of Protecting California Businesses

Sonitrol Security – Kimberlite opened its first franchise in 1976. Nearly five decades later, we have grown to become the world’s largest independent Sonitrol franchisee, protecting commercial businesses, schools, and industrial facilities from Los Angeles through the San Joaquin Valley to the San Francisco Bay Area.

That longevity is not accidental. As an employee-owned company, the people monitoring your facility, installing your system, and servicing your account have a direct stake in your protection. Ownership creates accountability, and accountability drives performance in ways that distant corporate call centers simply cannot replicate.

In 2025, The Monitoring Association recognized Sonitrol Security – Kimberlite as Monitoring Center of the Year for small to medium monitoring centers. The award reflects decades of disciplined focus on verified response, operational consistency, and measurable results.

The real question is not whether your business needs security. It is whether your current system is actively stopping crime or simply documenting it after the fact.

Find out what verified protection can do for your business. Call 1.888.SONITROL or contact us to schedule a consultation.

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