Don't Leave Your Small Business Vulnerable

Though property crime rates are on the decline, more than 1 in 8 households were victims of property crime in 2008. Small businesses are prone to theft and other property crime like households, because there is the perception that they are more likely to get away with burglarizing a small business than a larger business. There are many ways to protect your business from property crime, like criminal conviction checks, past employment verification, and employee education (more theft protection tips), but security cameras are often the most effective method.

Security cameras and public knowledge of the use of security cameras creates a perception of detection. As score.org puts it: “Employees who perceive that they will be caught engaging in occupational fraud and abuse are less likely to commit it. Increasing the perception of detection may well be the most effective fraud prevention method.” Of course, not only employees are deterred by the perception of detection, the same goes for other people who might consider theft or other property crime.

Unfortunately, security cameras do not stop all instances of theft. However, property is more likely to be recovered or reimbursed when the theft is recorded on camera. In reality, very little stolen property is actually recovered, but most of the recovery is thanks in part to security systems. Due to this, theft deterrance should be the main focus of the camera system.

Today, security systems are affordable for small business and even homeowners. Small business surveillance systems can be installed for as little as $1000 - $5000. The security systems can be CCTV or even IP-based so you can view your cameras from anywhere with internet access.

Systems can be put together very affordable; bullet security cams and dome security cameras start at $80 for black and white and $150 for color. Lenses are available in all sizes from 2.5mm to 500mm and can be changed easily, so your needs can be met for all surveillance areas regardless of size and distance. Pan-tilt-zoom cameras, known as PTZ cameras, that allow users to “look around” the surveillance area are also available.

Don't leave your small business, restaurant, or bar unprotected! Act before its too late and you're the victim of theft. Click for more information about camera types and assistance choosing what cameras are right for your small business surveillance needs.

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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 Lead to Rapist's Arrest

A Cypress, Texas man accused of rape has been arrested and police can thank quality security cameras. The man is accused of raping a teenage girl in her home.

23-year-old Michael Chenault was arrested earlier this month when a Crime Stoppers tip came in to police. The tip said the suspect had been spotted in a specific area on a bicycle and according to officials was even wearing the same clothes he had worn during the incident. Undercover officers spotted and arrested the man.

According to the Houston Chronice, Chenault was wearing a hooded Texas A&M sweatshirt, jeans, and a baseball cap when he broke into the girl's home in a local subdivision. He pulled a knife on the fifteen year old girl and assaulter her in her bedroom.

Before leaving the house, he stole a credit card along with a few other small items. The girl was able to give police a description of the man and in turn, police were able to get that description to the public. He was later spotted and caught on camera at a local Wal-mart, using the stolen credit card. Police were able to use the captured images to get more information about the man to the public.

Chenault was charged by the Harris County Sheriff's office with burglary with intent to commit sexual assault and burglary of a habitation. The man's criminal history goes back at least six years, with charges of car burglary and breaking into a home among others. He is currently being held without bail.

Thanks to the help of a good security camera, there is one less criminal on the streets.

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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.

Even Small Towns Need Security Cameras

At the time of the 2000 Census, Newburg, Pennsyvania had about 372 residents. Located in Cumberland County, the tiny town has no traffic lights and no law enforcement, which has presented a problem for its inhabitants. That's why they've decided to take matters into their own hands.

During a borough council meeting last month, residents expressed a desire to install on-street surveillance cameras.

One of the cameras would be mounted somewhere outside of Teresa Guyer's Styling Salon. On January 15th, a car hit the telephone poll across the street from the salon - located on Main Street - and drove off. Guyer, the owner of the salon, called 911, but it took police officers an hour and a half to respond. Because the town is too small to hire its own law enforcement, they are forced to rely on state police located in the city of Carlisle, which is about 20 miles away.

And while crime isn't a major factor in the day-to-day lives of Newburg citizens, they do find themselves running across the occasional minor issue, including speeders and double-parked cars. Resident Jeremy Strayer, who lives on Main Street, told PennLive.com it's time for the town to get into the 21st century, "We might not have crime like Harrisburg and Hershey, but there are speeders and kids crossing the street.” Strayer said that in the past, his own car was hit with eggs and trash cans near his house were detonated.

Newburg Mayor, Susan Stump, says she's all for the cameras. “Cameras let people know that even though we don’t have a police department on hand, they can’t get away with anything.”

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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.

1,000 Cameras to Provide Security for Winter Olympics

The 2010 Winter Olympic Games will take place February 8-12 in Vancouver, Canada. In an effort to beef up security for the Games, a large network of over 1,000 closed-circuit cameras have been installed.

The Olympic Integrated Security Unit, led by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), had about 900 of the cameras installed in and around the Olympic venues. One hundred more will be installed in the city of Vancouver, keeping watch on city streets. This unprecedented move has some citizens uneasy and concerned about their privacy, but officials have said the cameras, which went live on February 1st, will come down after the games.

The city actually already has a number of cameras placed around the city, but the security team felt it was necessary to add surveillance. The RCMP Assistant Commissioner said the alternative would be adding more foot patrol, which would cost taxpayers unnecessary money.

The cameras are said to be on a motion-detector, meaning they won't be monitored 24/7 and will only record when a motion sensor sets them off. The system was already tested last week when an intoxicated man stumbled into view near a cruise ship being used to house police officers during the Olympic Games.

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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.
   
   

Connecticut Residents Use Cameras to Deter Speeders

If you're driving on Terry Road between Bloomfield and Hartford Connecticut you may want to slow down. A few neighborhood residents who call themselves the "Terry Road Action Committee" have mounted two surveillance cameras on a tree along side of the road. They say their goal was to protect the over 30 children who live on the street from speeders.

Upon installing the cameras, the group handed out fliers at the nearby University of Hartford, explaining the cameras and why they installed them. They promised to notify police, the university, insurance companies or a student's parents if a student was caught driving recklessly through the neighborhood. They even offer a $500 reward for anyone who reports a speeder.

Jonathan Fairbanks, a member of the group, told a local newspaper that they have seen a decrease in the number of speeders since the cameras have been put into place, and that overall traffic has slowed down. He is the owner of both the cameras and the tree which they are mounted on. Otherwise, he is very secretive about the cameras.

The speed limit in the area is 25 MPH and police have increased traffic enforcement there. Residents have also tried placing traffic cones in the road and requesting the city put speed bumps there, but none of those ideas worked. Fairbanks said speeding and reckless driving are most prevalent when students return to the college in the fall and after the winter break.

John Carson, the vice president of university relations said the school has no problem with the cameras. "We haven't heard or seen any concerns... we don't have a sense that they are infringing on any innate right," he said in an interview with a local paper. City police said they were unaware of the cameras and have not been involved.

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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.

Boston's Green Line Trolleys to Get Security Cameras

According to the Boston Globe, the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) will be putting security cameras on the Green Line trolleys as part of a safety initiative. Funded with $500,000 from the Department of Homeland Security, a pilot program that allows the MBTA to test the cameras on the underground trolleys will begin soon. The goal is to increase security on Boston's transit system by allowing Transit Police the opportunity to monitor the system in real time.

"Our hope is that the cameras will be able to be viewed in a police cruiser, so that an officer responding to a call will have real-time viewing of what is happening on the scene," Chief Paul Macmillan said in a statement last week. Cameras are already installed on the city's more than 300 buses and subway stations and according to MBTA spokesman Joe Pestaturo, police have used video from the cameras in nearly 500 investigations.

"Since we’ve installed the closed-circuit television system, we’ve had great success using it to solve crimes and identify offenders. We think this enhances awareness on what is happening on our transit system and on the train," MacMillan told the Globe. He also stated that the ability to use the cameras to keep the public safe outweighs some groups concerns of privacy.

The installation of the cameras in the trolleys will be a two-phase operation. Phase one will begin later this year and it see that two trolleys are equipped with four cameras a piece. Phase two will do the same for three more trolleys.

Citizens told the Boston Globe they welcome the extra protection. "If people know there is a camera on the train, it will prevent them from doing something wrong," one man said.

Shooting Leads To Increased St. Louis Security Camera Demand

A recent shooting spree in Kirkwood, Missouri, a St. Louis suburb saw the deaths of two police officers, two councilpeople, the city's public works director, and the wounding of the city's mayor and a local journalist at the hands of a gunman angry at what he felt was a violation of his first amendment rights. People in the Kirkwood expressed shock that such violence could happen in the small town.

In the week following the shootings, interest in CCTV Security Camera Systems from Camera Security Now has risen to new levels, from St. Louis citizens and others across the country.

All CCTV Security Camera Systems from Camera Security Now come with Dell DVR's (three year warranty) and GeoVision security camera software, offering high tech features not to be found on an analog video recorder. GeoVision digital video recording software has features such as automatic video backup, motion masking to refine your camera's field of vision, and support for IP cameras. Through use of an IP camera you can monitor what's happening in your home or business from anywhere with nothing but an internet connection.

Call Camera Security Now today at 877-422-1907 to speak with a friendly and knowledgeable Tech Travel Agent. Your personal Tech Travel Agent can help you decide what sort of CCTV surveillance system you need for maximum safety and comfort, and give you an instant quote on how much it will cost you to order the system. Additionally, through Camera Security Now's affiliates in the Tech-Army.org, a local installer can come to your home or business anywhere in the country to consult with you and offer a pricing estimate for installation. All of Camera Security Now's local installations in St. Louis are done by David Rogers and his Eye Spy Electronics and More company.

GeoVision V8.12 Compatible with Vista

GeoVision's latest version, V8.12, is compatible with Microsoft's operating system, Vista. So now all GeoVision users who have Vista can rejoice. Along with being compatible with Vista this new version has greater mobility, scalability, and operability.

With V8.12 it is easier than ever to use your mobile device to view live feeds from your GeoVision surveillance systems. With a new multi-screen feature, you can view from 1 to 16 video feeds from anywhere you want! You can control PTZ cameras by simply using the directional pad on your mobile device. You can switch between cameras in a flash and view full screen video faster than ever before. So whether you want to check in on your store or keep an eye on your home, you can do it with no problem with the GeoVision V8.12.

Interested in GeoVision equipment and software? Camera Security Now offers GeoVision DVR Servers with V8.12!

CCTV Surveillance for Water Treatment Facilities

The protection of our nation's water treatment facilities is very important. Especially after the event on September 11th and the threat of terrorism. Because of this many water treatment facilities are turning to advanced surveillance systems like a Geovision CCTV DVR Server.

This could be a smart move especially for those facilities that have old surveillance equipment or none at all.

CameraSecurityNow.com will work with plant operators and managers of any size treatment facility to customize a solution to fit your facility best with the budget you have available. CCTV DVR systems can be upgraded at anytime in the future.

Get a CCTV Surveillance Quote for a Water Treatment Facility.