In the face of rising crime rates in Auckland, both business and home owners are starting to worry. With crime in rising almost 20% year on year[1], now is the right time to invest into protection for your property. Getting in touch with a CCTV installation company in Auckland is one way to put your mind at ease. Here are some of the most powerful ways that security cameras will keep your property safe from criminals.
Burglar and Crime Deterrence
CCTV cameras are a visual deterrent to potential burglars or intruders. Their presence makes burglars aware that they are being monitored and recorded. Security cameras are visible and can be clearly seen by anyone approaching the property. In a survey done[2] amongst convicts – criminals who got caught – it was found that a CCTV system would deter almost half of all burglars from even trying.
CCTV systems record footage of the property and the surrounding area. This footage can be used to identify potential criminals, which can increase the chances of them being caught and prosecuted. You should add a “24/7 Surveillance” sign for a formal warning that your property is secure.
Video Surveillance
Cameras watch your property 24/7 around the clock. You can configure for constant recording or set to trigger on a motion detection event. Security cameras allow you to monitor their property in real-time or review footage later to detect any suspicious behaviour or criminal activity.
You can even outsource surveillance to a security monitoring company. They can watch your cameras for you during vulnerable periods, or simply respond to alarm triggers. This almost replicates the effect of having a security guard physically present.
Evidence Collection
In the occurrence of a break-in or other criminal activity, the CCTV footage is valuable evidence that can identify the perpetrator and make prosecution easier. Recorded footage can also be used to establish the time that a crime was committed, which can be used to place a suspect at the scene of the crime.
Additionally, you can analyse a criminal’s movements and actions from the camera footage to build a case against them. You can prove that the damage and items missing are directly their fault and didn’t happen earlier from some other cause.
Remote Monitoring
Remote monitoring is the ability to view your camera systems from anywhere in the world at any time on whatever device you have available to you. Many CCTV systems now allow property owners to view live footage remotely via a smartphone or computer, which means they can keep an eye on their property even when they’re away.
This is extremely beneficial in case of any incidents or potential security threats. You have access to live footage straight away, lettings you assess the situation whenever an alarm is raised. By having this ability, you can quickly respond to any suspicious activity or emergency situations and take the necessary steps to stop crime or lessen damage.
Having the ability to remotely spot and verify security threats remotely enables a very fast response, and a greatly reduced risk of false alarms. Every minute idling is extremely costly – it is an extra item stolen or more area vandalised. Hence response speed is absolutely essential.
Alarm Triggering
You can integrate your security cameras with an alarm system. When motion is detected the alarm is triggered, which will send an alert to you or a monitoring service. This ties into remote monitoring and deterrence and boosts your security even further.
By integrating an alarm system into your overall security scheme, you can very quickly identify the cause of a triggered alarm. As a result you have a faster response speed and less false positives.
Conclusion
CCTV is a highly effective, autonomous method of crime and burglary prevention. If your home or business has ever been robbed, you will never want to repeat that process again. The best time to install a security cameras was 10 years ago, the second best is today.
References:
[1] How much has crime actually increased? | The Spinoff
[2] Understanding Decisions to Burglarize from the Offender’s Perspective (researchgate.net)