Case Study: HySecurity StrongArm M30

In a morning of August 2024, a group of car thieves attempted a bold and highly coordinated heist at an automotive manufacturing site in Warren, Michigan. Their target: six brand-new Dodge Durango SUVs parked behind the gates of Ground Effects Ltd., a company located near I-696 that provides custom upfitting for major vehicle manufacturers.

The suspects arrived with a plan. According to Warren Police Sergeant Jim Twardesky, they came prepared with extra fuel—knowing that the SUVs on the lot likely had very little gas—and quickly moved to steal multiple vehicles in a smash-and-grab style operation.

“They came in, they clearly had a plan,” said Sgt. Twardesky in a media briefing. “They brought gasoline along… Definitely an organized plan.”

But while the suspects had thought through many aspects of their getaway, they hadn’t accounted for one critical obstacle: the facility’s perimeter security. As they attempted to flee the scene in the stolen vehicles, they slammed into a piece of infrastructure built for exactly this kind of scenario — the StrongArm M30, a crash-rated barrier arm designed to stop hostile vehicle threats.

A Barrier Designed for Moments Like This

Installed at Ground Effects Ltd. as part of the site’s vehicle access control system, the StrongArm M30 is manufactured by HySecurity, a leader in high-security gate systems. Certified under the ASTM F2656 standard, the M30 is designed to stop a 15,000 lb vehicle moving at 30 mph — and to do so without catastrophic failure.

That morning, it was tested in a real-world, high-pressure situation. And it worked.

As the SUVs attempted to exit the lot at speed, they collided head-on with the barrier arm. The result was immediate: the vehicles were stopped cold. No further progress was made, and five of the six suspects were apprehended on site. A sixth suspect fled and remains at large, but the theft itself was completely thwarted.

Real-World Proof of Performance

While crash-rated security barriers are tested under strict lab and field conditions, events like this highlight their performance under unpredictable, real-life circumstances. Not only did the StrongArm M30 withstand the impact from multiple SUVs, it did so without failing, enabling law enforcement to quickly respond and secure the scene.

Reports indicate that the barrier arm sustained minimal damage, while the SUVs involved in the crash suffered significant front-end destruction—further demonstrating the barrier’s stopping power.

The StrongArm M30’s steel construction and hydraulic mechanism are built for long-term durability, with options for extreme weather environments. It is available in widths up to 24 feet and comes with either a powder-coated or hot-dip galvanized finish, ensuring resilience against both force and the elements.

Protecting More Than Property

For Ground Effects Ltd., the incident underscores the importance of integrated physical security — not just surveillance cameras and alarms, but reliable barriers that physically prevent threats from leaving a site. In industries dealing with high-value assets like vehicles, that protection can mean the difference between a multi-million dollar loss and a contained incident.

The quick response from Warren Police combined with the effectiveness of the StrongArm M30 made that difference clear. The suspects’ plan may have been organized, but it was no match for equipment designed to protect against exactly this type of threat.

Conclusion

What happened in Warren wasn’t just a thwarted car theft — it was a real-life demonstration of what hostile vehicle mitigation looks like when it works. The StrongArm M30 did exactly what it was designed to do: stop unauthorized vehicles from breaching a secure perimeter. And in doing so, it protected assets, supported law enforcement, and helped a local business avoid what could have been a devastating loss.

In a world where threats to physical assets are increasingly fast, coordinated, and bold, it’s not enough to rely on passive deterrents. You need infrastructure that actively responds — and stands strong when it matters most.

The StrongArm M30 didn’t just stop traffic. It stopped crime.

Read the article on FOX News.