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Get the most out of surveillance this holiday season

With the holiday season looming ahead, many shopkeepers are growing nervous about criminals looking to stuff their own stockings, says Roy Alves, Business Development Manager of Axis Communications, MEA.


Johannesburg, 15 Dec 2015

Surveillance is in some quarters a dirty word. But not among retailers: being able to keep an eye on your establishment and react when a crime takes place is not only important to South African shops, but often an insurance requirement. With the holiday season looming ahead, many shopkeepers are growing nervous about criminals looking to stuff their own stockings.

It has been a huge boon that camera technology has become both cheaper and better, making it affordable for most companies to cast at least one eye on their operations, says Roy Alves, Business Development Manager of Axis Communications, MEA. But technology can only do so much and surveillance systems often don't deliver on their promises because of poor installation or sloppy practices.

So what can retailers do to get the most out of their equipment this holiday season?

One size does not fit all

A rose may be a rose may be a rose, but cameras are not quite as uniform. Retailers often make the mistake of thinking one camera fits every scenario, explained Alves.

"Retailers should use surveillance according to their needs. There are many different types of cameras - at Axis we have nearly 200 different models. Each has specific features for specific situations. So it is important to know what you want to do before even starting to shop around."

A simple example is whether the camera will be indoors or outside. Perhaps it needs to perform in poor lighting. Maybe the camera is part of the storefront, so it shouldn't be an eyesore but instead elegant and unintrusive. These are some of the aspects worth considering before making a choice on a surveillance system.

Strategic placement is good

The cliche of a camera is one that sits near the ceiling, peering down like an all-seeing eye. Though this may seem effective, Alves said, criminals frequently take advantage of such placement.

"You can have the best camera in the world, but if you can't see a person's face it is useless. A common complaint from the police is that camera footage does not show enough to qualify as evidence in court. In some cases lighting or low resolutions have a role to play. But most often the camera is just in a bad spot."

Criminals have taken to wearing hats, hoodies or anything that makes their faces hard to record from above. This has given rise to a trend of placing cameras at eye level. Many retailers avoid doing that, as it may startle customers. But modern camera options include models where the lens detaches from the main body, allowing for discreet placement while the uglier elements are hidden away.

Placement can also be used smartly. A shop does not require countless cameras to cover every square centimetre. Focusing on areas such as the shop entrance and till points can make a big difference in the quality of usable images that will be captured.

Tackle South Africa's sunshine

South Africa is a great country thanks to its beauty, not to mention ample sunlight. Unfortunately cameras are not as enthusiastic about a sunny day. In fact, sunlight is often a cause for poor video quality.

"If you look around South African shops, we use a lot of glass and polished surfaces. We also have ample sunlight. Combine those and it is a nightmare for cameras. Images become oversaturated and create high contrast. So your light colours become very light and dark colours very dark. The result is a video with little detail that can't be used in an investigation."

The shoe fits the other foot as well: low-light conditions such as around dusk also regularly make video unusable.

Fortunately many modern surveillance cameras feature Wide Dynamic Range. This technology adapts to lighting conditions and extract maximum detail to great effect. It counteracts glare and gloom, delivering top image quality.

Visible cameras are good

Alves noted that surveillance is often used in a retroactive fashion: a crime happens and the footage is used to catch the culprit.

But wouldn't it be better to avoid crime in the first place? Visible cameras are a proven deterrent for those with nefarious motivations.

"I'm firm believers that covert cameras are not great. Cameras act as a deterrent."

This is backed by several studies, including a multi-year one concluded in 2011 by the US-based Urban Institute's Justice Policy Center. Though that focused on public CCTV systems, it nonetheless revealed ongoing trends in major cities that if someone is looking, criminals are less likely to act.

But even signs indicating that patrons are under surveillance have a tangible effect on deterring the bad guys. Alves added that notices indicating video is stored off-site also hinder criminals as they are unable to remove any surveillance footage from the premises. In fact, this is one reason why crooks are covering their faces more and more - hence the earlier point of having eye-level placement.

Use alerts to keep ahead of the bad guys

It's not hard to fool a surveillance system. We've all seen it in movies: a dash of spray paint or a tap with a broom can obscure the camera's view from whatever is taking place. Retailers respond to this by placing the cameras out of reach - but these are also less likely to capture usable footage.

Criminals know this: attacks on retailers are often preceded several days beforehand by a covert inspection. The would-be robbers scout out a location's cameras and then attempt to alter them in some way. Ironically a number of criminals are caught because their faces are captured during these pre-crime visits. Yet most get away because the cameras failed to record the crime itself.

Fortunately there is a wide range of tamper-proof technology available for camera systems, said Alves.

"A camera can learn a specific scene and look for something that changes. Let's say someone bumps it off position or puts a box in front of the lens. The camera can note this and automatically send an alert that something is wrong."

It's another approach that speaks towards proactivity: avoiding the crime before it even happens. Criminals are far less likely to take on a shop where the cameras alert on any attempts to mess with them.

This concept also extends to audio: some cameras can be wired for sound, specifically listening for sounds such as glass breaking, someone screaming or other unusual phonic queues.

Know your needs

If Alves could drive one point home, it's this:

"Good surveillance starts with deciding what you need. There are many cameras and systems to choose from in the market, but they don't all do the same job and a camera that can't deliver is just a paperweight mounted on your wall. More cameras are not as good as smartly placed cameras that complement your environment. Make that your starting point and your surveillance will become a partner in proactive security and, if something bad happens, catching the bad guys."

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Axis Communications

Axis offers intelligent security solutions that enable a smarter, safer world. As the global market leader in network video, Axis is driving the industry by continually launching innovative network products based on an open platform - delivering high value to its customers and carried through a global partner network. Axis has long-term relationships with partners and provides them with knowledge and ground-breaking network products in existing and new markets.

Axis has more than 1 900 dedicated employees in more than 40 countries around the world, supported by a network of over 75 000 partners across 179 countries. Founded in 1984, Axis is a Sweden-based company listed on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm under the ticker AXIS. For more information about Axis, please visit its Web site www.axis.com.

Editorial contacts

Mariaan Christian
Fleishman Hillard, South Africa
(+27) 11 584 2080
Christian.mariaan@fleishman.co.za
Sasha Bonheim
Axis Communications
(+27) 11 548 6787
sasha.bonheim@axis.com