Sacramento's biggest and busiest shopping mall, Arden Fair, has experienced a dramatic decline in crime, especially car thefts.Thieves seem to be getting the message: Don't try it here.Watch report: 'Investment' pays off at Arden Fair; Crime rates show itIn 2007, 77 cars were stolen from the mall parking lot. Last year, there were eight car thefts.So far in 2014, there has been only one.Steve Reed, head of mall security, said the dramatic reduction is the direct result of an investment."We brainstormed," Reed said. "We needed a state-of-the-art camera system. Now we have the HD cameras (where) you can actually zoom in and see a freckle on a person’s face."Reed used to work for the Sacramento Police Department.Since 2008, mall owners have spent $2 million on security technology, including license-plate readers."In five years, we've recovered 117 vehicles," Reed said. "People who have driven here in stolen vehicles, there have been 93 arrests."The Sacramento Police Department partners with mall security."It's remarkable," said Doug Morse, a department spokesman. "It's extremely remarkable, and it's a testament to our partnership, and it's a testament to Steve Reed's hard work out there. ... Technology is allowing us to put people in jail and build cases on people, we wouldn't be able to do."

Sacramento's biggest and busiest shopping mall, Arden Fair, has experienced a dramatic decline in crime, especially car thefts.

Thieves seem to be getting the message: Don't try it here.




Watch report: 'Investment' pays off at Arden Fair; Crime rates show it



In 2007, 77 cars were stolen from the mall parking lot. Last year, there were eight car thefts.



So far in 2014, there has been only one.



Steve Reed, head of mall security, said the dramatic reduction is the direct result of an investment.



"We brainstormed," Reed said. "We needed a state-of-the-art camera system. Now we have the HD cameras (where) you can actually zoom in and see a freckle on a person’s face."



Reed used to work for the Sacramento Police Department.



Since 2008, mall owners have spent $2 million on security technology, including license-plate readers.



"In five years, we've recovered 117 vehicles," Reed said. "People who have driven here in stolen vehicles, there have been 93 arrests."



The Sacramento Police Department partners with mall security.



"It's remarkable," said Doug Morse, a department spokesman. "It's extremely remarkable, and it's a testament to our partnership, and it's a testament to Steve Reed's hard work out there. ... Technology is allowing us to put people in jail and build cases on people, [which] we wouldn't be able to do."