Parking Lot Security Cameras

Crime is prevalent when it comes to parking lots. The majority of all crimes that happen at retail stores and office buildings happen in the parking lot or parking garage. This is due to the number of hiding places, the vast size, and the fact that most people are coming and going, so there aren't a lot of witnesses around.

One way to help protect your parking lot is to install security cameras. When a would-be criminal sees a well-placed security camera in a parking lot, he or she will think twice about committing the crime, meaning you'll possibly see a reduction in vandalism and theft of store property. Also, the footage captured by these cameras can help aid law enforcement agencies in the event a crime is committed. Customers will see cameras as an important boost to your image. Cameras mean their shopping experience will be safe and secure and it means you care about them. That's a plus for any business. Of course, there's always the occasional parking lot accident and the potential for a liability case; that's another way a parking lot security camera could prove to come in handy.

Below, you'll find a few tips about installing security cameras in your parking lot:

1. Do you already have security in place? Maybe you have a security guard who patrols the parking lot, or some sort of alarm system. You'll want to place cameras in areas where the security options you already have in place are the weakest.

2. Are there certain areas in your parking lot that are particularly vulnerable to crime or accidents, maybe a hidden corner in a parking garage or a blind turn? These areas are ideal for placing security cameras.

3. Is your parking lot very busy at night? If so, you may want to consider a "night vision" or infrared security camera, which can basically see in the dark!

4. Do you have a parking garage or any other type of structure? These areas are often used as hiding places for those looking to commit crimes.

5. Make sure your cameras are placed at all exits and entrances so that you can see every car or person who leaves or enters your parking lot. This can really come in handy when law enforcement agencies are using footage to look for a suspect.

6. Make sure your cameras cover your parking lot from all angles. Cameras that are strategically placed amongst one another can maximize visibility.

Non-Working Security Cameras Don't Prevent Lawsuits

Pauline Showalter of Baker County, Florida is suing the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) . But could properly working security cameras have prevented this from happening? It's entire possible.

Showalter received a Rolex watch worth over $24,000 for her 50th birthday, but when she went through a security checkpoint at Virginia's Norfolk International Airport last year, the watch mysteriously disappeared. Showalter says she placed the watch in a bin and onto a conveyor belt and was then asked to pass through a separate security screening, according to The Florida Times-Union. When she asked to get her watch, she was told she could not and when she finally returned to the conveyor belt, the watch was gone.

Showalter, who was on her way home to Jacksonville, says she has been without the watch for over 16 months now (the event took place in February 2009). But the TSA says she never had a watch on that day.

However, it is being reported that the security cameras in the area weren't working properly at the time. How does this change things? I think that's pretty obvious. Had the cameras been working properly, authorities could see whether or not Showalter was actually wearing a watch and whether or not she actually placed it in the bin.

In addition, if Showalter is telling the truth and the watch was stolen or misplaced, authorities could possibly get an idea of what happened to it...had the cameras been working. If a suspect was caught on film, stealing the watch, images and video could be released to local and national media, in an effort to help catch the crook. And most importantly, a lot of headaches, bickering, and a lawsuit could have been prevented.

The moral of the story is even though you have security cameras, keeping them working properly is so important. Otherwise, they don't serve much of a purpose in the event that a crime takes place, especially a crime in which two different parties are arguing about whether or not there was even a crime in the first place.

If you to have your security cameras serviced or you're considering upgrading to newer, better quality models, Camera Security Now can take care of you from start to finish. Visit www.CameraSecurityNow.com or call 877-422-1907 for more information.