Stupid Security Guard Caught on CCTV

One of the advantages of having security cameras in your business is having the ability to monitor employees and prevent employee theft. It's a proven fact that when employees know they are being watched by security cameras, they are more likely to give a better job performance. With this in mind, you would think a security guard of all people would know better than to commit a crime at his own place of employment. Not so for a man named Justin Hortz.

Hortz is a security officer at a convenience store in Australia. On Saturday, June 26, at 11:35 PM, a teenager and her boyfriend were in the store, shopping. At some point, the girl noticed her wallet was missing and she called local police. The police, along with store staff, viewed the security camera footage from when the girl was in the store and Hortz was immediately identified as the thief. He was off-duty at the time.

According to the camera footage, the girl put her wallet on the counter and when she wasn't looking, Hortz put his hand over it and slid it off the counter and into his pocket.

The wallet contained $110, as well as the girl and her boyfriend's personal identification. Hortz took the wallet to a local Domino's pizza restaurant, ordered a pizza and left the wallet in the restaurant. Police found it and returned it to the girl.

Hortz plead guilty, claimed he was very drunk, and was fined $500 for stealing the girl's wallet.

I'm not sure whether this story should be filed under "stupid employees," "stupid criminals," or both, but either way, it proves that having a quality surveillance system installed in your business can help prevent and solve crime.

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Looking for a DVR or NVR Security Camera System? If so call today at 877-422-1907 x226 for a free phone consultation.

Security Cameras for Nursing Homes & Elder Care Facilities

The decision to put a loved ones in a nursing home or assisted living facility, is not an easy one. Families spend months looking for the right place. A place that will keep their relative or friend safe and secure, as well as provide them with proper care. Quality security cameras placed strategically in your facility will not only attract new customers, but it will also provide you, your staff, and your residents with the proper reassurance that everything is running as smoothly as possible.

Protect Your Residents - With visitors coming and going from your facility all day, it's easy for the wrong person to slip through. To prevent an intruder or help law enforcement officials catch someone who did manage to get inside and cause harm, cameras placed around the grounds are a necessity. Cameras may protect you, your residents, your employees and your property.

Protect Your Employees - When people are forced to place their loved ones in a nursing home, it can be a very difficult time. They want the best care for their relatives and rightfully so. Because of this, stress levels are often high and people sometimes say things they don't mean. Accusations against your employees can be a very hard thing to deal with but having a security camera around can help prove what really happened, prevent lawsuits, and eliminate a number of other headaches for your facility and its employees. Cameras also help you monitor your employees, which helps keep you from worrying about things such as employee theft.

Attract New Customers - Making the decision to put a loved on into someone else's care is not an easy one and often involves a long, very emotional process of visiting and researching various facilities in the area. Don't just tell prospective customers you will take good care of their family members, show them. Visible cameras placed around your facility will show customers you mean business when it comes to caring for their loved one, and will also help deter crime in the process.

In the event that you do decide to purchase or upgrade a surveillance system, there are some important things to remember about installing your cameras:

• Place cameras at entries and exits, and in your waiting/reception area. This way, you can get a good look at anyone who leaves or enters the building.


• Make sure you put cameras outdoors, especially if you have a large property or more than one building. On top of that, make sure your cameras are part of a network that is easily monitored from one place.


• Put cameras where your staff and residents often gather such as dining halls, activity rooms, and hallways. This helps you keep everyone's best interest in mind.


• Place cameras in supply closets, stairwells and other small rooms. This will help prevent employee theft, as well as prevent someone who wishes to cause harm to an employee or resident from having an unwatched space to do it in.

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Looking for a DVR or NVR Security Camera System? If so call today at 877-422-1907 x226 for a free phone consultation.

Shopping Malls Need Security Cameras

Shopping mall security cameras are almost common sense. Think about it. Malls attract some of the largest crowds of any other establishment. You have so many people in such a varied space and so much money being exchanged on a daily basis. It's the ideal location for criminals. Malls often have multiple levels, stores, restaurants, movie theaters and more. Buildings are large and in between them are open plazas, both outside and in. You also have areas where merchandise is stored and delivered. Not only are malls practically a "welcome" sign for criminals, they can present a challenge for anyone looking to help beef up security. One way to do that is with security cameras and monitoring systems. Below you'll find some tips on where, why, and how you should place your mall's cameras.

Where should you place your small security cameras?

Malls usually contain a variety of types of stores and even unique building shape. Because of this, deciding where to place your cameras can be a tough decision to make. Here are some things to think about.

1. Does your mall already have security personnel? Cameras should always first be places in areas they are not always monitored or easily accessed by human eyes. If you have a security team, consider placing your cameras where they can't be on the lookout 24/7.
2. Who is allowed where in your mall? Do you have areas that can only be accessed by employees? Do you have areas where truck drivers from all over the country are making deliveries? Are there parts of your mall, such as lounging areas or stairwells, where customers can easily hide to commit a crime?
3. Do you have a parking lot of deck? Because of the size of your mall, you probably have a lot of places for people to park. Parking lots are not often monitored and are ideal places for a criminal to steal cars, rob and even assault your customers or employees.
4. Are there any areas of your mall that are prone to theft or criminal activity? Maybe several people have been robbed in one of your stairwells or on a certain side of your parking lot. Maybe one particular store sees a lot of theft. Maybe your courtyard is often vandalized. Keep this in mind when deciding where to put your cameras.
5. Does your mall connect to any other types of public buildings, such a subway tunnel? Public transportation housing is a particularly busy area where just anyone can and will walk in, with the intent to cause harm to your mall.

Why do malls need security cameras?
With so many different types of buildings all in one location, malls are very attractive to would-be thieves. From huge parking lots full of cars to large retail shops full of goods, a security camera can help those in charge of a mall's security monitor for illegal activity, as well as aid in the investigation in the event of a crime. Cameras can also help deter such crimes. If a would-be thief sees a camera watching their every move, they may think twice about taking something. Also, the presence of a camera can prevent a petty crime from escalating into something major.

Customers feel safer when they are being monitored by quality security cameras and safe customers are happy customers. Also, you can prevent major lawsuits by catching incidents involving customers on video. Monitoring employees is another advantage to having security cameras in your malls. In 2004, employee theft alone cost businesses in the United States over 40 billion dollars. Don't let your mall become part of this statistic.

How to place your mall security cameras.
So You've taken the plunge and purchased your cameras, but now you're not sure how to go about installing them? Here are some great tips that will help you get your security cameras up and working in no time!

1. Place cameras at all entrances and exits so that you can see who is coming and going at all times and capture all faces on cameras.
2. Place cameras in areas that are always full of people, such as food courts, courtyards, and lobbies.
3. Make sure you've taken precautions against weather or vandalism, especially with cameras placed outside.
4. Make sure you've got cameras in your storage areas so you can see what employees are up to at all times. The same goes for delivery or loading areas.
5. Call Camera Security Now at 877-422-1907 for more help and tips on putting security cameras in your mall!

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Looking for a DVR or NVR Security Camera System? If so call today at 877-422-1907 x226 for a free phone consultation.

5 Reasons to Install Security Cameras in Your Business

If you own a business, you're probably constantly thinking about safety and security among a million other things. Keeping your business, your employees, and yourself safe takes priority over everything else. Security cameras can take a huge weight off your shoulders, by being the extra set of eyes and ears you need in the event something goes horribly wrong. But there are so many other reasons why you should consider installing a quality surveillance camera system in your business.

1. Deter Crime - If you're worried about crime, cameras can not only catch criminals in the act, but the very presence of surveillance systems can make a would-be criminal think twice about any wrong-doing. Think about it, if you planned rob or vandalize a store or office, would you want to do it if you knew you were being recorded?

2. Prevent Employee Theft - Chances are you've gone to great lengths to screen new employees but even the best employers can make a mistake. If you suspect one of your employees of wrong-doing but don't know where to begin to try to get to the bottom of things, a camera can be a very helpful tool. This is especially true if you own an establishment where cash is exchanged. Cameras posted near cash registers or other places where employees are often stationed can not only show you if an employee is stealing, but may even deter an employee from committing a crime if they know you're watching.

3. Be used as evidence - If a crime is committed in or around your business and the person accused of committing the crime was caught on camera, you've got an extra piece of evidence for a court case. Jurors and judges can watch footage or view photos from your security cameras and establish that the person on trial did indeed commit the crime. Not only will you be preventing the same person from causing you more trouble in the future, you'll be helping out your entire community.

4. Help law enforcement solve crimes - This is probably one of the biggest reasons cameras in businesses are used. When someone commits a crime and is caught on camera, police and other law enforcement officials can use the footage to release video or photos to the public via various media outlets. Having a picture of the suspect can make a world of difference when it comes to making an arrest and getting dangerous criminal off the street.

5. Keep an eye on things - If you can't be at the office all the time but like to know what's going on, a security camera can help do just that. You can keep an eye on things from your home computer with a few quick clicks of your mouse and make sure your business is running smoothly and nothing out of the ordinary is going on.

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Looking for a DVR or NVR Security Camera System? If so call today at 877-422-1907 x226 for a free phone consultation.

Surveillance Cameras Can Save Your Restaurant

Police officers in Bonneville County, Idaho are looking for someone. The person they are searching for is suspected of armed robbery at a local I-Hop restaurant. Sergeant Doug Metcalf with the Bonneville County Sheriff's Office has been trying to piece together what he can about the robbery, but there's something missing, something that could make his job a lot easier: video or a picture of the suspect from a surveillance system.

"It makes solving the crime a lot easier," Metcalf told a local news station, "Usually the ones that don't have surveillance video and all we have is a description, those could take months, years to solve."

And Metcalf is right. Having a security camera system installed in your restaurant can ultimately save your business. In the event of a robbery, or some other type of crime, police can take the video from the surveillance system and use it to find that person and arrest them so that they do not return to your restaurant.

It just so happens that this particular restaurant in Idaho had a security camera but it was not properly placed and therefore the suspect was able to take off without a trace. Poorly placed cameras are just like not having a camera at all. At the very least, you want your cameras focused on all entrances to the building, so that no one can get in without being seen. You also want to make sure that the cameras are placed at an angle so that you're able to get any potential criminal's face in the shot, not just the top of their heads.

Beyond entrances and exits, you'll want to place a camera where money transactions take place. Registers are usually where hold-ups occur and not only that, but you may be able to prevent or solve a crime involving employee theft. You want to trust employees and think the best of them, but it's always possible for one bad apple to work their way into restaurant. Employees who are aware they're being watched may think twice about stealing money, and if they do choose to steal some cash, you'll catch the incident on camera, to use as evidence.

In the long run, not having security cameras in your restaurant can be very harmful to your business. It can end up costing you thousands of dollars and maybe even more. Below are some tips and ideas about installing cameras in your restaurant.

1. Make sure your cameras are pointed so that you can see the faces of customers.


2. Place outdoor cameras that help identify cars that enter your parking lot.


3. Have cameras in locations where any cash handling transactions take place.


4. Cameras placed at counters can help you monitor long lines and schedule staff for peak hours.


5. You always want to have cameras placed at entrances and exits so you can see everyone who enters and exits your building.


6. Outdoor video can keep track of any vandalism to the outside of your building, any landscaping you may have in your parking lot, or if you have an outdoor dining area.


7. Many restaurant owners are surprised at the types of surprises they come across when they place a camera at their dumpsters.


8. Make sure your video is viewable from a remote location, such as your home or office computer, or even your wireless laptop.
   
   

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   Looking for a DVR or NVR Security Camera System? If so call today at 877-422-1907 x226 for a free phone consultation.
   
   

Dallas Security Cameras

Located in North Texas and covering over 385 square miles, Dallas is the third largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in the United States. Its 12-county metropolitan area, known as Dallas-Ft. Worth-Arlington, is the fourth largest metropolitan area in the country and the number-one fastest growing metropolitan area in the country. Not only is the area home to over six million people, but it's home to thousands of businesses including 25 Fortune 500 companies, such as AT&T, Exxon Mobile, Southwest Airlines, and Blockbuster Inc. The Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport is one of the largest and busiest in the world and Dallas is the third most popular business travel destination in the country!

With so many people in and of the city, it's important to take all measures of precaution when it comes to security. That's why Dallas CCTV Security Camera Systems are popular products when it comes to protecting your business. Whether your company is part of the oil, telecommunications, banking and commerce, or transportation businesses or any part of Dallas's diverse economy, we can help you find the right surveillance system that's right for your company and your budget.

CCTV systems serve so many purposes. Protect your business, monitor your employees, deter crime, or in the event your company is subject to a criminal incident, provide law enforcement agencies with footage of the suspect. To learn more about how CCTV can help you and your business, or to get a fast quote, call 877-422-190 or visit www.camerasecuritynow.com today.

Convenience Store Security Cameras

It's no secret that convenience stores are often subject to robbery, shoplifting and other violent crimes. As a matter of fact, according to Crime Magazine, convenience store workers are second only to police officers in being victims of homicide and it has been one of the most dangerous jobs in the United States for many years. In some cities, such as Dallas, Texas, law enforcement agencies have been forced to create special task forces and store owners have been forced to closed their doors for this reason.

There are any number of reasons for high crimes at convenience stores including the small number of staff on duty at any given time, late-night hours when there are most likely to be less witnesses, smaller stores make for easier navigation, and the fact that most purchases are made with cash. From federal agencies such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to private groups such as National Association of Convenience Stores, many studies have taken place on what can be done to prevent or lessen the number of crimes committed at convenience stores. One finding that each study seems to have in common is implementing better security measures including an increase and update to store Security Cameras.

If you watch your local news stations, chances are you've seen some sort of surveillance camera footage from a local convenience store or gas station. In most cases, the camera has caught the suspect on video and law enforcement is asking for the public's help in identifying the person who committed the crime. A security camera system that is able to capture quality images can lead to the capture of the most violent criminals and make other would-be criminals think twice about committing a crime at the same location. Video and images from cameras are also often used in court to prosecute those who committed the crime.

Most convenience stores are also gas stations and it's hard for a single clerk to monitor both the store and the gas pumps at all time. With the rising prices of gas in the United States, many people are turning to theft to keep their tanks full. Gas station owners all over the country will tell you they've seen an increase in the number of customers who drive off without paying for that full tank of gas and many times, unless you are lucky enough that an employee or another customer witnessed the incident, these crimes will go unpunished. A carefully placed security camera can help clerks, owners, and law enforcement officials get a description of the customer, their car, and the car's tag number, making it easier to track down the thief.

Another great reason to have security cameras installed in your store is to monitor your own employees. In smaller stores and at night, most stores are attended by one single person. Chances are, that person is trustworthy and doing the job they were hired to do but every once in a while, someone with poor judgment comes along and takes advantage of the situation. Studies show that employees who are aware they are being monitored are less likely to steal cash or items from their place of employment, particularly convenience stores.

If you are a convenience store owner, not having security cameras or having out-of-date cameras is a risk you can't afford to take. CameraSecurityNow.com can help you choose and install the right cameras for your convenience store. For more information or to get a Convenience Store Security Quote, visit our website at or call 877-422-1907.

Are Your Employees Stealing from the Till

If you own or operate a business, its in your best interest to ensure that you are properly monitoring your businesses cash flow. Employee theft is rampant in businesses across the board from gas stations, restaurants, and grocery stores and anywhere cash is handled. It is estimated that 20% of every dollar the average US company earns is lost to employee theft. With this in mind can you afford not to have adequate protection?

Efficient methods for preventing employee theft revolve around adequate security camera systems and proper placing. A traditional method for preventing theft is to have 1 camera per cash register, i.e 4 cash registers 4 cameras, as well as cameras watching the entrances and exits. This ensures that all transactions are being monitored and employees will have a hard time simply walking out of the establishment with merchandise.

Other popular methods include point of sale (POS) capturing devices, also known as "POS video overlay", and cameras which utilize zoom lenses for clearer pictures. If you are interested in other options to prevent employee theft, find out How to Protect Your Cash Register for more information.