A food truck commissary lot is where trucks and carts park overnight, fill water, empty grease, restock and plug in. Each truck is a small business on wheels, with a generator, propane tanks, a kitchen, a point-of-sale system and often thousands of dollars of stock. The lot is usually fenced, but it may be dark and empty at night. Thieves take catalytic converters, generators, propane tanks, batteries, fuel and cash; vandals damage trucks; and disputes arise about damage or who parked where. Owners expect the lot to protect their livelihood. This guide explains how to lay out cameras in a food truck commissary lot in New York and New Jersey: what to cover, how to light the lot, how to handle hookups and hazardous materials and what a sensible system costs.
This is general information, not legal advice. Talk to your attorney, insurer and the relevant fire and health agencies about requirements.
1. The Short Version
| Zone | Camera goal |
|---|---|
| Gate | Plates, faces and a log of who enters |
| Truck parking rows | Clear view of each truck |
| Generator and propane | Theft and tampering |
| Utility hookups and water fill | Tampering and access |
| Trash and grease area | Dumping and access |
| Office/commissary building | Doors and keys |
| Fence line | Intrusion alerts |
2. What Commissary Lots Face
Catalytic converters, batteries and generators are quick to steal. Propane tanks are valuable and dangerous. Trucks left overnight hold stock and cash. Fuel is stolen from tanks. Dumping at the grease station is a repeated problem. Without a clear record, disputes among tenants are hard to settle. Our guide on camera placement explains how to plan coverage.
3. The Gate
Cover the gate with a plate-capable camera and a pedestrian entrance camera. Issue codes or cards to tenants and change them when someone leaves. Keep a sign-in sheet for visitors. Our guide on license plate cameras vs. overview cameras explains plate capture. Our local pages on commercial camera installation in Brooklyn and business camera installation in Staten Island describe typical lot setups.
4. Truck Parking Rows
Park trucks in rows with room between them, and use pole cameras with overlapping views so each truck is visible. Assign numbered spots. A camera that shows plates and the truck's side helps police. Encourage owners to remove cash and valuable stock overnight. Consider anti-theft shields for catalytic converters and GPS trackers on trucks.
5. Generators, Propane and Fire Safety
Propane tanks and generators carry fire and carbon monoxide risks. Secure tanks in locked cages, keep them upright and away from ignition sources, and follow local fire rules. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission publishes carbon monoxide safety information at cpsc.gov. Put cameras on tank areas to document access and tampering. Cameras do not replace compliance.
6. Utility Hookups, Water and Grease
Electrical hookups, water spigots and the grease station are shared infrastructure. Cover them with cameras. Illegal dumping and tampering cause costly damage and fines. Post rules and log grease pickups. Video helps identify who used the station when something goes wrong.
7. Fuel and Hazardous Materials
Fuel, oil and cleaning chemicals require proper storage. Lock tanks and keep spill kits nearby. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation at dec.ny.gov and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection at dep.nj.gov publish guidance on storage and spills. Cover storage areas with cameras.
8. Commissary Building and Keys
If the lot includes a building with storage and prep space, cover its doors and office. Keep keys in a locked cabinet with a log. Use access control for tenant storage. Our guide on commissary kitchen cameras covers similar planning for the kitchen itself.
9. Fence Line and Perimeter
A cut fence is the usual entry. Cover the fence with overlapping cameras and virtual fence alerts. Thermal cameras can detect people at night with fewer false alerts. Keep the fence line clear and well lit. In September 2026, News 12 reported that NYPD was seeking two suspects tied to 19 commercial burglaries across 16 Brooklyn neighborhoods; lots in commercial and industrial corridors share that after-hours risk.
10. Lighting and After-Hours Alerts
Use LED floodlights on poles and building corners. Add motion alerts and local recording. Decide who receives alerts and what they do. Call 911 for emergencies. Consider professional video monitoring for larger lots; see our guide on professional monitoring vs. watching your own cameras. Do not send people alone to investigate at night.
11. Power, Data and Weather
Use PoE switches in weatherproof enclosures, fiber or wireless bridges for long runs, solar cameras for remote corners and a UPS at the recorder. Use cameras rated IP66 or better. Plan for snow, ice and heat. Our guides on outdoor cabling and conduit, surge protection and IP and IK ratings explain the details.
12. Retention and Storage
Keep at least 30 to 60 days of video. Storage planning: total GB = cameras x Mbps x 10.8 x days. Twelve cameras at 4 Mbps for 45 days is about 23,328 GB, or roughly 23 TB. Keep clips tied to theft reports longer. Make sure the clock is correct and managers can export clips. Our guides on how long to keep footage and on storage planning explain the math.
13. Common Mistakes
- No plate camera at the gate.
- Propane unsecured.
- No lighting.
- Tenants sharing one gate code.
- No coverage of the grease station.
- Cameras that cannot see each truck.
- Short retention.
- No after-hours response plan.
14. Cost
Planning ranges in 2026: eight-camera system for a small lot, $3,000 to $7,000; sixteen-camera system, $6,500 to $15,000; thermal perimeter camera, $1,500 to $8,000; plate-capable gate camera, $500 to $1,500; solar camera for remote areas, $250 to $900; access control at the gate, $1,500 to $10,000; recorder and storage, $1,000 to $5,000. These are planning ranges, not quotes.
15. A Second Data Point
NYPD reported burglary down 19.5% citywide in May 2026 compared with May 2025 (NYPD). A commissary lot's exposure is its trucks and its fence, so plan around those.
16. Questions to Ask Your Installer
- How will you cover every truck space?
- How will you cover propane and generator areas?
- Can you read plates at the gate?
- How will you cover the grease station?
- How will alerts and response work after hours?
- Can the work be phased?
See our local pages for commercial camera installation in Brooklyn, business camera installation in Staten Island, commercial camera installation in Jersey City and our services page.
Running a commissary lot? Revolvis will walk the property with you and mark the spots, from the gate to the grease station.
17. A Hypothetical Lot
A 20-truck Brooklyn commissary lot installs fourteen cameras: a plate camera at the gate, a pedestrian camera, six pole cameras covering truck rows, two cameras on the propane and generator areas, a grease station camera, a building door camera, a thermal camera on the back fence and an exterior camera. Floodlights are added. Each tenant has a personal gate code. When a catalytic converter is stolen, the row camera and plate camera help police.
18. Daily Routine
Open by checking cameras and the gate. Verify tank cages. Walk the lot. At closing, lock the gate, set alerts and check lights. Review overnight alerts each morning. Wipe lenses weekly. Test an export monthly.
19. Working With Tenants
Tell tenants what cameras cover. Share relevant clips with the affected tenant and police. Keep communication factual. A lot that handles incidents fairly keeps tenants.
20. Annual Review
Once a year, walk the lot at night with an installer. Check coverage, lighting and fence condition. Review incidents for patterns. Update procedures and training.
Wired Versus Wireless Cameras
Wired PoE cameras are the steadier choice here: one cable carries power and data, and the picture does not drop when many devices crowd the Wi-Fi. Wireless cameras and point-to-point bridges fit a temporary spot or a long run where trenching is impractical. Keep the recorder in a locked, dry room with a small UPS, label every camera on the recorder and check the system weekly so a dropped link is found before an incident, not after it.
Seasonal Patterns
Busy seasons, holidays and bad weather change how a site is used. Review footage from a busy day once a quarter to see whether any entrance, row or door has a blind spot, then adjust angles and lighting before a loss exposes the gap.
More From Revolvis
Cameras are one layer of a secure property. The same in-house crew also handles the rest:
- Keyless entry installation and smart lock installation
- Access control systems and commercial access control
- Video doorbells and intercoms
- Alarm system installation
- Complete unified security
Learn more about Revolvis, meet the team, see all services, browse the blog or contact us.
Areas We Serve
Revolvis installs residential and commercial camera systems across the New York metro area. Every borough and county has its own building stock, rules and wiring challenges, so the plan for a Queens two-family is not the plan for a Manhattan co-op.
- Staten Island: houses, detached garages and shop fronts. See security camera installation in Staten Island.
- Brooklyn: brownstones, row houses and storefronts. See security camera installation in Brooklyn.
- Queens: attached brick homes, two-families and busy commercial strips. See security camera installation in Queens.
- The Bronx: pre-war buildings, bodegas and warehouses. See security camera installation in the Bronx.
- Manhattan: co-ops, condos, offices and retail. See security camera installation in Manhattan.
- Long Island: Nassau County and Suffolk County.
- New Jersey: Jersey City, Newark, Hoboken and nearby towns.
The full list is on the service areas page.
Get a Custom Quote After a Site Visit
Revolvis prices every job after a site visit, because the building sets the cost as much as the equipment does. A few things make the estimate faster and more accurate:
- The address and property type: house, apartment, co-op, condo, storefront or warehouse.
- Which doors, sides and areas you want covered, and what worries you most.
- Photos of those spots and any spots where you already have cabling or power.
- How many days of footage you want to keep and whether you want to watch on your phone.
- Any landlord, board, lender or insurer requirement.
Call 347-258-9165 or use the contact page to book a site visit. The quote you receive is written and itemized, so you can compare it line by line.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should cameras go in a commissary lot? Gate, truck rows, generator and propane areas, hookups, grease station, building and fence.
How do I stop catalytic converter theft? Cameras, lighting, anti-theft shields and a secure, well-watched lot.
Do I need plate cameras? They help at the gate.
Can I record audio? Usually not without legal advice.
How long should I keep video? Often 30 to 60 days.
Is propane a risk? Yes. Secure tanks and follow fire rules.
Ready for a custom quote? Call Revolvis at 347-258-9165 for a site visit and a written, itemized estimate.
Safety note: A camera system supports, but does not replace, good locks, lighting, alarms and everyday habits. If you are in danger or witnessing a crime, call 911. Prices and legal summaries in this guide are general information for the New York metro area, not an offer or legal advice. A written quote after a site visit governs your actual price, and for legal questions you should confirm with the agencies linked in the article or a licensed attorney.