Theft from construction sites has been an ongoing problem with no easy solutions until now.
September 07, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Theft from construction sites has been an ongoing problem with no easy solutions until now. Site managers were faced with expensive 24 hour manned security patrols and traditional CCTV, that neither has been able to deliver criminal convictions to stop this massacre on the UK economy. Now Viseum UK's panoramic CCTV security camera is changing this forever. Greater coverage from fewer cameras yet delivering the sort of up close and personal images necessary, to both act as an effective deterrent and if the worst does happen - secure convictions against the guilty parties.
Remote sites are particularly vulnerable and make a soft target for criminals bent on theft and causing as much criminal damage as possible. CCTV has been seen as a cost effective solution, but savvy criminals know traditional systems have to be pointing their way and require a lot of cameras to cover the ground, which is cost prohibitive. Factor in poor performance in low light and its not surprising criminals think its open season on sites around the country.
These facts mean the need to address the spiralling costs associated with construction site theft must be confronted head on. Experts estimate the costs of plant theft alone at anywhere between GBP1.1 and GBP1.5 million a week in the UK1, with the cost to the insurance and construction industries estimated2 at a staggering GBP42,000,000 in 2008. Given these temptations, it's hardly surprising site theft continues to be perceived by many criminals to be a low risk-high return crime.
The arrival of Viseum's Intelligent Moving Camera (IMC) is changing this landscape forever. Patented 'virtual gigapixel' CCTV camera technology can capture conviction quality evidence even in lower light, while the intelligent camera is trained to focus in on incidents of concern, without the need for human involvement. Providing 'virtual' manned performance 24/7 to confound the criminals who think they will get away with it, also puts off those who believe the Viseum camera is manned when it turns and follows their every move, thanks to its intelligent software.
"Our IMC technology is the first and only one of its kind in the world," explained Viseum Managing Director Stuart Thompson. "It is unique in the sense it can detect not just one but multiple attacks from all directions of a protected area, and at the same time. In our experience, criminals rarely oblige by coming in through the front door! With Viseum, no matter how they try to infiltrate, where they try to go, or how they try to hide, we can spot them, we can follow them and we can convict them."
Described by a major UK police force as '...something we have long been waiting for', Viseum's CCTV systems work on built-in intelligent software, allowing the camera to make its own decisions. based on what it has been instructed to look out for, Viseum recognise its no good offering a fantastic system that no one can afford, so the virtual gigapixel camera is capable of covering with just 4 cameras an area of over 46,750 sq m that would require at least 40 of the industry's leading megapixel cameras to try to match.
Once a site breach is confirmed, an alarm is raised and the authorities can be provided with all relevant information in an instant - that someone has entered the area, a detailed description of the suspect committing the theft or criminal damage, where else they have been on site and where they are right now. If the suspect is apprehended, they can be presented with such detailed video evidence of their clothing, etc. that even if wearing a mask the image quality is such that it is proven to encourage suspects to own up to the offence - all from one camera.
"Traditional CCTV solutions used on construction sites proves that one camera is just never enough and even if you have multiple units they need to be constantly monitored to have any hope of even being seen by criminals as a deterrent, let alone secure useable evidence," added Stuart. "Viseum solves these problems, with a system that can think for itself and with the power to provide vast simultaneous coverage of up to the size of 14 football pitches."
