September 28th 2019.
In the age of Surveillance and high crime, one can’t help but observe an alarming trend…Criminals are ignoring CCTV systems and violating your rights anyway. It can be argued that criminals are more brazen or that CCTV is not effective anymore but I would like to put forward 3 reasons why I tend to incline toward the latter.
Reason #1: Bad Positioning
When cameras are placed in tucked away places where objects can obscure or significantly reduce you field of view, or they are placed on high for more coverage of a certain area, remember that doing so reduces the effectiveness of the cameras and limits their capabilities when it comes to certain features like infrared, motion detection and object tracking (PTZs).
Solution: Place cameras just out of reach of vandals (8-12ft) and if it needs to be placed lower then consider using Vandal resistant Dome cameras instead of the Bullet form factor cameras. Also put them where they have unobstructed views of the areas they are to surveil. If you want to achieve Facial Recognition but don’t want to put a camera within arm’s reach/eyeball level consider using cameras with Varifocal lenses that can be placed some distance away and adjusted for desired effect.
Reason #2: They Do Not See It
While some hold the view of installing a “discreet” surveillance system is better at catching people in the act, I believe that it should be made known so that it can act as a deterrent. Also, in some places, it is required by law to let it be known that you are doing such. That being said I am in agreement with a hybrid approach, that is, have obviously visible cameras and some discreet, mainly to guard the guards. That way when an incident occurs and individuals believe they have circumvented your CCTV system you can surprise them later on with the footage of them in the act.
One way is having a separate stand-alone (IP) camera with edge recording(micro SD-Card) that watches the general/specific area where your CCTV system is kept so that in the event of your DVR/NVR being taken you still have the footage to aid in identification of the perpetrator.
Solution: Place signs and decals in key areas to let everyone know that surveillance is taking place on the premises and also let them know it is being done remotely.
Reason #3: They Can Just Steal It
As I alluded to in the previous section we have to deal with the probability of an intruder taking your recording device(DVR/NVR) and leaving having committed an offence in an attempt to cover his/her tracks. This happens more often than you think but I got you covered here too.
Solution: You can (carefully) bolt your system to a wall or in place where it is stored. If you are concerned about warranty, let’s just say that there are pre-drilled holes at the bottom of some DVRs/NVRs that are meant for ventilation but can be used for this purpose. This gives you some assurance that even though you have given up the location of the device that more than likely they will have to leave it and go or take the time to remove it themselves (doubtful).
These are just a few reasons why criminals may ignore your CCTV system but I am not exactly a mind reader, maybe these guys/gals are just crazy. Maybe it’s someone who seen your display monitor and realizes you cameras don’t show so well (another article, another time), maybe someone hacked your DVR and stopped/deleted the recordings(video here)
Are there any reasons you can think of that may cause such blatant disregard? Share in the comments and thanks for reading!!!