The Motor Vehicle Retailers of Ontario (MVRO) sent out an urgent notice to its members this week highlighting the importance of protecting dealership valuables after at least three stores in York Region, Ont., were broken into by thieves.
The act was committed in the early morning of July 26, when several other dealerships in Mississauga were also broken into. Other dealerships in the Greater Toronto area were targeted that same evening, with a combination of vehicles and point-of-sale equipment stolen. And a dealership in Brampton was targeted just last week.
Executive Director Todd Bourgon said the MVRO was organizing a webinar on the topic to help educate dealers about this new threat. “Dealers need to act quickly to address this new threat. Thieves are finding new ways to target our dealer members and we need them to remain ever vigilant to protect their businesses,” he said in an interview with Canadian auto dealer.
In one specific case, Bourgon said thieves gained access to the POS system, cash register and keys.
“The thieves were able to hack into the POS system and steal money via chargebacks. In an effort not to trigger the dealership’s alarm system, they smashed glass windows to gain entry — causing significant damage,” he said in a statement.
Bourgon is advising dealers to take extra precautions to protect their store’s valuables and deter thieves however they can. He also suggests that dealers contact their POS provider for advice on safety measures, and to consider locking up wireless POS systems.
