In July of this year in Washington, D.C., a woman was shot in the leg and another man wounded outside a mall. Half a country away a laptop was stolen from an internet cafe and went unnoticed for 30 minutes. In Maine, a man was on a one man crime spree and burglarized six businesses. All of these suspect when caught because of business surveillance cameras. Everyday hundreds if not thousands of would be criminals are identified and millions of dollars of inventory not stolen because these cameras work as such an effective deterrent.

Business cameras and surveillance has come a long was over the years and is now much more versatile and cheaper than it has been. On top of that consumers continue to find new uses for the technology.

Let’s start with some of the advancements. First let’s start with those old VCR tapes. Gone. With today’s PC driven systems, your footage is stored right on the hard drive. Think of how many movies can be stored on an 80 gig hard drive. Well, business surveillance cameras only take a fraction of frame per second compared to a movie. And to make thing a little cheaper for people who had a watch-only system, The old cameras and coaxial cables can still be used and one simple PCI card can take in up to 16 coaxial feeds (and an audio one if you want to hear your stuff stolen as well as watching it).

Then there are the cameras. They can still come in the large size but also as small as a deck of cards if you need to be more subtle if you need them to be. Now they also can be used in low light situations where they were not able to record before, down to .ooo1 lux which is almost complete darkness.

Software as well can be a big help to maximize your use. For instance, in some systems where you are watching a register you can have it show you what was rung. In other cases it can be configured only to record when there is movement and alert you when there is movement and there should not be. You can even make part of the scene so it ignores the movement there, like outside a window, yet still notice movement inside the front door.

Business security cameras have come a long way. Every business owner owes it to themselves to see how the new technology can work for them.

You’re losing significant amounts of money but profit reports of your business say otherwise. You can’t pinpoint, however, when or where things went wrong. Or at least you can’t until you make use of surveillance cameras for your business.

Cash Theft Proven by Surveillance Camera Videos
Loss Prevention Results, Inc., a company based in Wake Forest, North Carolina, recently announced the success of one of their investigations. Mark Manney of LPR had been called in by a Northeast vending company to determine the reason behind the mysterious losses it was suffering from.

With the help of a covert VendingCam motion-activated surveillance camera, LPR had been able to obtain eight different footages showing one of the company’s route driver stealing low amounts of cash from certain vending machines with the use of keys the company hadn’t been aware he had been in possession of.

Upon the conclusion of the investigation, LPR had been able to obtain a audio-taped confession from the convicted employee, witnessed by a management representative, as well as a comprehensive written statement of the crimes committed.

How to Make Good Use of Surveillance Cameras
Safety for your business, in all aspects, can’t be completely guaranteed just by purchasing any surveillance camera. Among other things, you’ll have to purchase the model most suitable for your needs as well as determine the ideal location for it.

Choose the right surveillance camera
Consider the light levels of the setting. Night vision or infrared is required for video footage taken in the dark.  Besides size and budget, take other important features like motion-activated controls, backup power, and recording capabilities into account.

Choose the right location
If you wish to take covert video footage, it’s best to use tiny surveillance cameras that can be easily concealed behind potted plants or other objects that people normally won’t give a second glance. But if you’re after expansive or complete coverage of the entire room, it’s best to mount your surveillance camera at any top corner of the room, preferably facing entrance and exit doors.

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In Elizabeth City, North Carolina, authorities had begun to operate strategically located surveillance cameras as a way of deterring and apprehending crime.  Footage from the “eyes in the sky” is monitored not only from the cars of city police on patrol but also by police communication officers at the station and volunteers.  According to Police Chief Charles Crudup, the cameras had been effective not only in deterring crime but also in helping them solve several cases. City Councilwoman Volanda Watts, on the other hand, had shared how an Oak Grove resident had called to inform her about a noticeable decrease in noise as well as drug activity in her area.

Make Your Home Safe with a Surveillance Camera
As a private citizen, you may not have the right to install a similar security system for your neighborhood “you’ll have to wait for the local police for that” but you do have the right to protect your loved ones at home with surveillance cameras.

To Be or Not to Be Seen
It’s your choice whether or not to alert others to the presence of surveillance cameras you’ll install in your home. If you install it in a highly visible area, it could be enough to deter break-ins, robberies, or other crimes from taking place. But if you decide to use a covertly installed surveillance camera, you could use any resulting footage for establishing identities of criminals or delinquents that had come to threaten the safety of your loved ones.

To Be or Not to Be Connected
If your surveillance camera is connected to the Internet, you may be able to continue monitoring what’s happening in your home wherever you are.  Of course, this can only work if you’ve a remote network setup. Be aware, however, that allowing online access to your surveillance camera gives hackers greater chances of tapping into your security system and obtaining similar access to footage from your camera.

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Having cameras in the workplace can be a deterrent to crimes, harassment, and other forms of workplace trouble that can fracture your workforce and turn your once good, happy, and obedient crew into a madhouse. On the other hand, excessive use of cameras can make people frightened and paranoid. Would you like to have a workplace where people are afraid to talk to each other, make their voices heard, or simply do anything at all for fear of being castigated?

Before you use your workplace surveillance cameras, you will need to be clear with a lot of things, with yourself, with your management, and with your workforce. Ask yourself first: why do you want to have workplace surveillance cameras? Are you suspecting thefts? Do you think that you can curb theft and harassment? When you have worked this out well enough for your objectives to be clear and rational, then you can start bringing it up with upper level management. At this point, you need to formulate rules for using the cameras.

Lastly, explain to your workforce why they are being watched, and what will constitute wrongdoing. This will clear things up so that you don’t end up with a paranoid workforce, and you have people who understand exactly what is being done. Assure your workforce that you are not going to release the footage from your workplace surveillance cameras and that if anything should happen, it will be between you, the police, and the persons or persons involved. It is important for you to be clear about all these rules so that you do not end up alienating your workers or bringing even more chaos into your office.

When using surveillance cameras, you may also want to put up some dummy cameras that actually have no feed. Although this can bring more money into the equation, dummy cameras can help you deter workplace crimes, since people are not sure when or where they are being watched. Naturally, you should not tell people which cameras are dummies and which are not, but you should simply warn people that whatever they do, they are being watched and that they should be on their best behavior at all times.

Next, prohibit people from touching the cameras, and count it as wrongdoing. Not only can they damage cameras, but people can also find out which cameras are dummies and which are the real thing. You will want to keep up your disguise for as long as possible. Moreover, you want your workers to not mind the cameras and to act as though they weren’t there. You also do not want your workers to attach anything that can interfere with the camera feed.

Lastly, make sure that you invest in the best cameras for your workplace. You may want to have a central room that is devoted entirely to monitoring your workplace, and to which all camera footage is fed. Make sure that only professionals and a select group of people are able to enter this room. Not only will this ensure worker privacy, it can also help you have a more secure workforce that will trust in you and your judgment.

Steve Thibeault is the author and owner of this blog and website.

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Surveillance cameras are one of the most effective tools for safety and security today and you can use it both at home and the workplace. With a surveillance camera, you’ll have an extra pair of eyes that allows you to see things even when you’re not physically present.

Types of Surveillance Cameras
The first thing you have to decide on is the type of surveillance camera you’d need. You’re probably familiar with regular surveillance cameras. They look just like an ordinary camera does and you usually them mounted on the wall or from the ceiling. But these aren’t the only type of surveillance camera available.

Dummy Surveillance Cameras
These only look like but don’t work as actual surveillance cameras. People mainly purchase these devices as a deterrent. If placed in a conspicuous area, its presence can help prevent vandalism, theft, and other criminal activities. It can also act as a decoy. Criminals who are lulled into thinking they’ve destroyed the surveillance cameras in the area might not realize that actual surveillance cameras are still at work.

Covert Surveillance Cameras
These are the exact opposite of dummy surveillance cameras. Firstly, their appearance belies their purpose. They do not have the conventional appearance of a surveillance camera and may look like any ordinary object found in your place. They can just as easily be a potted plant, a stuffed animal, or an alarm clock. Regardless of their appearance, all of them do work like surveillance cameras do.

These cameras may be more expensive than dummy surveillance cameras but they are reasonably priced. They are best used when you are hoping to apprehend an individual in the act of performing a certain activity. They are also best placed in areas where they draw the least notice but at the same time able to capture the entire area in view.

Wireless versus Wired
Surveillance cameras may or may not come with wires. A wireless surveillance camera offers greater flexibility as you need not worry about looking for a nearby source of power before installing it. They’re also ideal if you wish for a mobile system you can install and uninstall in ease. Wireless systems, however, cost more than wired systems.

Night Vision Security Cameras
Another thing you should consider is the light levels in the area you wish to secure. A surveillance camera capable of night vision viewing is necessary if the area under surveillance isn’t sufficiently lit.

Don’t make light of your decision. Even if it seems like a simple decision of buying the right type of surveillance camera, remember that your choice can make all the difference in saving your life later on.

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As more and more criminals get busted for being caught on camera, more and more home and business owners are putting greater trust in surveillance cameras. In fact, people find them so effective that they’ve gone so far as to installing dummy surveillance cameras, confident that their presence alone will work as a deterrent.

How Dummy Surveillance Cameras Work
Dummy surveillance cameras, strictly speaking, do not working. They are only used for show, and in some cases, their presence is indeed sufficient in discouraging unlawful and undesirable activities. Dummy surveillance cameras are cheaper than actual working cameras and given the right type and location, they can be quite effective in keeping a place safe and secure.

Advantages of Using a Dummy Surveillance Camera

It’s affordable.
As mentioned earlier on, dummy surveillance cameras cost less than actual working surveillance cameras, allowing home and business owners to maintain a cheaper security system with reasonable success.

It can be effective.
As long as people can’t get close enough to see the truth for themselves, their presence alone could deter wrongdoers from pushing through with their plans.

Disadvantages of Using a Dummy Surveillance Camera

It lulls people into having a false sense of security.
If your dummy security system has effectively deterred criminal activity for a certain period of time, it could get you to think that you’ve got a fail-proof security system on hand. It could make you forget that your system isn’t really working and that when it’s discovered for when it is then the area you wish to secure is immediately rendered defenseless.

It can be ineffective.
The wrong location and keen observation can easily lead a person to discover the truth about your dummy surveillance cameras. And when that does happen then wrongdoers who have found out the truth will know they probably do whatever they want and you won’t have the means to immediately stop them.

Tips for Setting up a Dummy Surveillance Camera System

Aim for authenticity.
Make it as realistic as possible. Don’t just buy any dummy surveillance camera. Choose the type of model people would immediately know you can afford and one that’s suitable for the area it’s supposed to secure.

Use strategic locations.
Place it where you’d normally position an actual surveillance camera. Make sure, however, it’s also placed where it won’t be of easy reach, far enough so that the truth about its function won’t be discovered.

Consider future needs.
Lastly, don’t forget to take into consideration the type of dummy surveillance camera you will need in case you wish to incorporate it with a working surveillance camera system.

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