20
STAR*TECH JOURNAL/AUGUST 1983
HOW TO USE LOW-COST PHOTO EQUIPMENT
TO FIGHT CRIME
By Shirley Guttentag
According to recent FBI Uniform Crime Reports,
crime in the United Stated has more than doubled
in the past ten years. The statistics on three of the
most common crimes - burglary, larceny and
robbery - are astounding:
• Within the next sixteen seconds, a burglary will
be committed.
• Within the next twenty-one seconds, there'll be
a larceny.
• And in less than two minutes, a robbery will
take place.
Yearly figures show that burglaries are in the
millions with the annual loss inching towards the
$1 billion mark.
It is also estimated that employees are respon-
sible for losses ( from all forms of stealing) of
some $5 million per day.
Finally, larcenies or thefts that involved a loss
of $50 or more increased 200% in ten years, with
some $420 million lost in 1 ½ million incidents of
crime. And this does not include some 2,300,000
petty larcenies that year.
Here is another disturbing fact about these
three criminal areas. Only one out of five of the
burglaries and larcenies were solved. And only
27% of the robberies were solved.
One frightening observation arises from these
cold statistics: The present crime emergency may
be more important than almost any other environ-
mental problem.
What is most disturbing too is that this isn't a
problem that faces only the larger business
establishments. A report by the Small Business
Administration in 1969 showed that 35% of all
businesses in high crime areas had insurance
problems because of mounting vandalism, burglary
and robbery. They continually face high premiums,
abrupt cancellations, or an inability to get any
insurance at all.
Thousands of these smaller businesses face
mounting problems. Their losses run into the
millions, their business is falling off, and they must
continually raise prices to compensate for their
losses. With the rising losses and the problems of
price controls, they are faced with going out of
business.
Thus, let us consider the overall situation.
Crime is increasing, because of several Supreme
Court decisions there are fewer convictions, the
courts are backlogged with cases, "deals" are
foisted upon harried district attorneys. This is why
thousands of businesses have an immediate need
for some type of effective security system.
These businesses need security systems that
are effective deterrents to crime, act as a safeguard
for employees and customers, offer an acceptable
means of identification, and offer objective aid in
the apprehension and conviction, and help in the
recovering of losses.
Photo equipment to put areas under surveillance
is nothing new today; for years we've had this type
of equipment including the use of closed circuit
TV. However, up to very recently, most available
equipment was either too large, too intricate and
most of all, too expensive for most small business
applications and needs.
Cameras,
either real or
simulated, can
be mounted on
the walls of
your business
establishment
They can be
mounted near
cash registers
to either film a
holdup, or to
deter a would-
be criminal. Cameras can also be mounted in selling
areas, in storage areas, and at loading plaifonns.
Once mounted, the camera would be adjusted
so that a manual zoom lens could be used. The
camera could be run all day, but to be more
economical, it could be set in an off position and
only activated when needed by the use of a
fingertip on-off switch placed near the cash register.
Basically the camera would then be ready to make
a movie of a criminal act . .. on demand!
Because you are probably likely to want to
deter a crime rather than to use the camera to film a
crime, it's often wise to place notices on your
business premises warning that photographic
cameras are being used.
However, despite the warning notices, suppose
this does not deter a determined thief. Assume that
while you were counting the day's cash receipts
before making a deposit in the bank's night vault,
an intruder entered, threatened you or an employee
with a weapon, and demanded the money.
Examination of the situation shows a definite
need for a low-cost photographic security system
that is simple to install, yet applicable to most
situations. In addition, the system should be easy
to operate, should require little attention and
service, be exceptionally reliable and designed to
be economical to own and operate.
At this point, you oblige and hand over the
money. As you do so, you simply press a hidden
button right in the cash drawer and the camera is
activated and starts to make a movie of the entire
scene. After the robber leaves, you call the police
and you have the film as proof. It could also be
used as evidence in court.
A number of special cameras designed to deter
crime are now on the market. Eastman Kodak
Company (Rochester, N. Y.) offers a pair of super
8 movie cameras that are designed specifically for
security. The Monitor Super 8 and Analyst Super
8 both use black and white film and provide
automatic exposure so adjustments to varying light
conditions are not necessary. Both units are battery
operated, but a 110-volt converter is offered as an
option.
After processing, the police would have enlarged
film prints of the criminal to help in apprehension
and prosecution. And you would have a better
chance of regaining your losses.
Other companies marketing camera or TV
security systems are Consolidated Trading Co.
(Los Angeles, California), Javelin Electronics Co.
(Los Angeles, California), Petri-Kine Camera Co.
(New York, N.Y.), Video Eye of America
(Cincinnati, Ohio), and Waner & Waner Ltd.
( Chicago, Illinois).
In addition to "live" cameras and "real"
closed circuit TV, there are dummy and simulated
systems. These are designed only to psychologically
deter would-be criminals. Some have real mountings,
with cords and electric plugs, and even are designed
to move in a sweeping 90 degree arc to give the
effect of scanning.
Companies manufacturing or distributing this
type of equipment include Safeguard Security
Systems (Holmdel, N.J.), Action Gifts Inc. (San
Antonio, Texas), Best Industries Inc. (Chicago,
Illinois), General Safeguard Systems (Waltham,
Mass.), and Tel-Guard Industries (Carmen,
Oklahoma).
To learn how these systems work, let us take
this illustration to see how the cameras work, how
they're installed, how they operate and the benefits
you, the businessperson, can expect from them.
We'll assume you are a manufacturer, distri-
butor, wholesaler or retailer who each day faces
the possibility of armed robbery. The distributor
handling the camera system you select will make a
survey of your premises to decide which system to
install, where to install the cameras - usually
where your cash register or cash drawer is located.
How much would all of this protection cost you?
The Kodak Monitor Super 8 can be had for an
initial investment of less than $200! The dummy
camera setups can be installed for approximately
$75, including several decals for affixing to entrances.
The other Kodak system (Analyst) is designed
for continuous filming of a given area, for instance
a loading platform, a storeroom, or in retail areas
where shoplifting is taking place. This system's
initial cost is under $240.
Sometimes the same effect could be had by
installing a closed circuit TV system, but here the
costs mount because someone has to be continually
monitoring the screen. To not have a human
monitor to alert personnel when shoplifting or
other crime is taking place destroys the purpose of
closed circuit TV.
The statistics previously cited spell out the
need that something be done to curb the increasing
danger to the businessman and his property.,
To end this growing lawlessness, each business-
man must be better prepared to deal with any
criminal situation that may occur. It needs to be
done by utilizing products and services which do
not increase the hazards to the businessman himself.
Science and industry have now provided the
products and know-how to safeguard business
premises against robbery and hold-up, also elimin-
ating to a great degree pilferage either by customers
or by employees.
Literature and even free surveys are available
to enable each intelligent businessman to plan for
protection against crime. Because these new
sophisticated systems are available at modest cost,
now is the time to sit down and make that telephone
call to a distributor offering camera equipment to
safeguard business premises from ever-mounting
crime.