Flames fuel suspicion ... - The Police Service of Northern Ireland are having to take the heat, after an officer described a fire at a clubhouse in the Creggan, as "accidental". Members of the GAA Club were shocked when having reviewed the CCTV recordings returned by investigating officers, what appeared to be two shadowy figures were seen to strike a light just moments before the building went up in flames. Following complaints at the highest level, the PSNI are now apparently treating the blaze as suspected arson. - Source - Belfast Telegraph 31st December 2011

There are many rivers to watch - Under a $ 2m project paid for by the US Department of Homeland Security, the Port of Wilmington and a 22 mile stretch of the Cape Fear River in North Carolina, is set to receive up to 50 CCTV cameras, tasked with monitoring maritime traffic, to help guard against possible biological and chemical attacks. - Source - BioPrep Watch 30th December 2011

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Park and be damned - Having parked his vehicle in a council operated 'pay and display' car park in St. Neot's, Cambridgeshire, motorist Anthony Nicholls was shocked to receive a £ 90 ( $ 135, € 100) penalty charge notice by post, for allegedly having parked in a neighbouring privately owned and operated facility. The parking enforcement company insisted that the vehicle had overstayed the free 90 minute parking, provided for shoppers using the Lidl supermarket, even though the owner insists his car was not on their property at the time. - Source - Cambridge News - 30th December 2011

Cameras p..p..pick up a penguin - Over the last six years, scientists working at three Australian research stations dotted along the East Antarctic coast, have been using video surveillance cameras to record the private lives of Adelie penguins. The work has proven so successful that this year a further camera is set to be deployed at Cape Denison in Commonwealth Bay. - Source - The Sydney Morning Herald 30th December 2011

Disappeared with a puff of smoke - Staff at a convenience store in Thetford, Norfolk have been found wanting, after their CCTV system failed to provide any useful evidential recordings of a recent burglary. Having discovered a large quantity of cigarettes had been stolen, they were further shocked when they realised that the thieves had also helped themselves to the security video recorder. - Source - Bury Free Press 28th December 2011

Who knows what they saw - An employee of Penarth Leisure Centre in Glamorgan, Wales, has apparently been dismissed from their job, following allegations surrounding the inappropriate use of the facility's CCTV system. South Wales Police will apparently not be investigating what has simply been described as an internal matter for the council to deal with. - Source - BBC News 27th December 2011

Schooled in the ways of surveillance - In a recent survey into the use of CCTV in schools across Wales, civil liberty groups have been left less than impressed by some of the results published. Apparently following 'Freedom of Information requests, 519 schools responded, with 46% confirming the use of security cameras on their sites, and of those 54% admitted that parents were not fully informed about the extent of CCTV coverage on their premises. - Source - Wales Online 26th December 2011

Dumb, dumber and no doubt the dumbest - Dorset Police are urgently trying to locate the burglars who broke in to a warehouse in Poole, and then got away with tools and CCTV equipment. Having forced a door to gain entry, the hapless thieves then smashed their way through a panel .... of untreated asbestos. A police spokesman has somewhat charitably requested that the culprits make contact " ..so that we can progress our investigation and deal with any after-care issues that may have arisen". - Source - Bournemouth Daily Echo 24th December 2011

Things ain't so grand in LaLa Land - In a highly embarassing revelation, officials have confirmed that over the last two years, the majority of surveillance cameras deployed in the downtown area of Los Angeles, have failed to operate. Officials from the LAPD have stated that at least six units were never plugged in to the department's monitoring centre, and following a spate of recent stabbings, it's come to light that one male was actually murdered within sight of a security camera that was not working properly at the time of the attack. - Source - Los Angeles Times 24th December 2011

Cameras stream images of floods - Following a recent pilot project where half a dozen CCTV cameras were installed along Bukit Timah in central Singapore, the national water agency PUB are now extending their surveillance network with a further 55 cameras in the highest risk flood prone areas, to help monitor water levels in real time. - Source - channelnewsasia.com 24th December 2011

Hail the benefits of surveillance - Despite increasing concerns from civil liberty groups, Oxford City Council are pressing on with their policy of compelling all taxis in the city to be equipped with both video and voice recording, by no later than 2015. CCTV recordings of passengers are stored for 28 days, and if needed as part of an investigation may only be accessed by either the police or taxi licensing officers. - Source - BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat 23rd December 2011

A modern solution to an ancient problem - It's now a year since the Israeli Prime Minister's office sanctioned the installation of around 80 conventional CCTV cameras and one thermal imaging unit in Jerusalem's historic Mount of Olives cemetery. In use for over 3,000 years and with around 150,000 graves, incidences of vandalism and criminal damage are now apparently being tackled more effectively, with rapid interventions by police and many more prosecutions effected since the cameras first went live. Additional units are scheduled for deployment during 2012. - Source - The Jerusalem Post 22nd December 2011

What works, and what doesn't? - Following the recent revelation by MP's that over 10% of the city's CCTV cameras were actually dummy units, the Governor of Bangkok Sukhumbhand Paribatra has now confirmed that all 1,325 non functioning cameras have been swiftly removed. As public surveillance continues to be rolled out, a further 10,000 cameras are scheduled for installation in the coming year ahead. - Source - Bangkok Post 22nd December 2011

Now who really cares ...? - A 24 year old care assistant narrowly escaped a jail term, after being caught red handed stealing money from the elderly residents of a home in Westbury-on-Trym. After suspicions were raised, a covert CCTV camera was installed in the room of one pensioner and marked notes placed in their wallet. Despite numerous thefts having been established, the accused was convicted in court, and given a suspended prison sentence, along with 150 hours of community service. - Source - This is Bristol 21st December 2011

Small islands with big plans - Public space CCTV cameras operating in the Cayman Islands, will now be subject to a detailed code of conduct, covering all aspects of their operation. Private cameras will also be required to comply, where their operation may be incorporated into the existing public network. - Source - cayCompass.com 21st December 2011
 

Shopping, but not as we know it - Irate customers have been complaining after receiving Penalty Charge Notices for overstaying their free parking allocation, at the Weston Favell shopping centre in Northamptonshire. Vehicles entering the car parks are automatically recorded by ANPR cameras, and if they fail to leave before the four hour deadline, a £ 50 fine ( $ 78, € 55 ) is posted on to the registered keeper of the vehicle. The mall's operators have generously offered to cancel the penalties, if drivers can prove that they actually shopped during their time on site. - Source - Northampton Chronicle 20th December 2011

The figures speak for themselves - In the last three years, the ten CCTV Operators working for Scarborough Council, have managed to assist police in achieving 2,000 arrests for a range of offences. Whilst more than £ 2.5 million ( $ 3.8m, € 2.75m ) has been spent on providing coverage with 66 CCTV cameras, the future costs of maintaining the operation are set to rise, even though other council department's budgets are scheduled to be cut . - Source - Scarborough Evening News 19th December 2011

Who set the chariot's on fire - Four arsonists have been captured on camera setting light to a sacred Hindu chariot, in Tooting, South London. Unfortunately the picture quality was too poor to identify the individuals that caused around £ 100k ( $ 155k, € 110k. ) worth of damage, in what police have underwhelmingly described as a "suspicious" fire. - Source - Surrey Comet 19th December 2011

Police to see you - Officers from the Houston Police Department were shocked to discover that their every movement on a tactical raid, was being tracked by the drug dealer observing the target premises using his CCTV. Having answered a ringing cell phone in the crack house, a specialist narcotics police officer was then subjected to a running commentary on the raid along with numerous death threats, by his chief suspect, one Alfredo "Frito" Bailli Jr. Despite his being hidden well away from the scene of the raid, he was later arrested and is now awaiting trial on two federal drugs charges. - Source - Examiner.com 18th December 2011

Definitely not on the right track - Despite the severe and ever present risk of terrorist attacks on India's extensive railway network, it's been revealed that the main station in Indore presently has a total of sixteen CCTV cameras installed, none of which are currently being recorded. Whilst the Railway Protection Force has suggested that 76 cameras be deployed at this particular station, the inspector in charge appeared to be completely unaware of existing arrangements, when questioned by journalists. - Source - The Times of India 17th December 2011
 

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