By Erica Shatzer

This article is reprinted from the Mini-Storage Messenger with the permission of MiniCo, Inc., and the author.

Jordan Garrand began noticing higher than normal traffic to the storage facility he manages, so he tipped off local police. Now, Garrand, the co-manager of Guardian Self Storage in New Windsor, has been commended by federal, state, and local authorities for “being a model of public vigilance.”

After investigation from state police and the FBI, it was discovered that the four Newburgh, N.Y., men who had rented a unit at the facility were intending to blow up Air National Guard C-5A planes at Stewart Airport and two Jewish facilities in New York City. They were arrested, even though weapons they had purchased were fakes sold to them by undercover police operatives.

In May, Garrand noticed something unusual while at work; he became suspicious of the men, so he alerted the police. “We monitor the activity,” says Garrand. “We have cameras on our gate and the property is a secure facility; what happened was that we were getting notifications that so many times a certain customer was on the property in such a short amount of time, so we looked into it.”

Garrand had been working for Guardian Self Storage for approximately two years. He said the customer’s behavior raised a “red flag” for him and led him to contact law enforcement, although he did not anticipate this outcome. Thanks to Garrand, the masterminds of this despicable plan were stopped; all four men are currently in jail.

Follow Garrand’s lead; if you see, hear, or smell something that seems suspicious, confront the tenant(s) or notify the proper authorities. Be observant of shifty behavior during the initial meeting with the customer in order to avoid renting to someone who might wish to rent for illegal purposes. Don’t be afraid to ask the prospective tenant questions like, “Why do you need storage?” and “What will you be storing?” Inform the customer of what items he/she is prohibited from storing. Furthermore, always require customers to provide a government-issued photo ID and Social Security number before renting to them. It is also in your best interest to verify every new tenant’s telephone number, mailing address, and e-mail address so you know the information provided is legitimate.

Although you can’t thwart all criminal activity, just remember: Staying alert to your customers can help prevent possible terrorist activities in your area.

Erica Shatzer is the Editor of Self-Storage Now! and Mobile Self-Storage Magazine and the Associate Editor of the Mini-Storage Messenger magazine, all published by MiniCo, Inc. For more information, contact MiniCo Publishing at messenger@minico.com or 800-528-1056.