What good is CCTV on sydenham road if their only pointing in one direction and that direction is down sydenham road?
The reason im asking this, my son was mugged in march an the mugger came from the direction of sydenham road. When the police veiwed CCTV he was no where to be found, since then there has been two more muggings on the road and the description of the suspect matches the same as the person who mugged my son. If all this is going on, why isn't something being done about it?
CCTV in sydenham high street.
Council Controlled CCTV is not only just pointing in one direction; it is centrally controlled by operators in a council office and can be moved by them on request in real-time.
For example, a call might come in of a mugging in progress with suspect's descriptio nbeing a 19 year old white male wearing a blue hoody and red baseball cap.... the cctv controllers can then search the area within their camera's ark (far more effectively than a police officer often) and direct police in to make an arrest. The CCTV cameras can also be pre-positioned to look at an area of potential trouble etc. - say, if there is a large group of drunks congregating etc.
Clearly the problem is when something unexpected happens and the cameras, at that moment, are pointing the wrong way: combine this with a delay in getting a 999 call in and your suspect's can be long gone. One of the first things that happens when a call like that comes in is for the cctv operators to scan the area for suspects if it happened in an area with CCTV. If it has already happened though there is clearly a chance that the suspects have made off.
For these very reasons - and because CCTV evidence is so useful when you have it - I'm a major advocate of expanding the CCTV network hugely...if we did we'd have an even better clear-up rate (it's not that bad for muggings overall)....police/cctv operators...would be able to cover escape routes etc. a lot more easily and, of course, there is a better chance that an incident would be caught on CCTV in the first place.
There is, of course, private CCTV aswell - in shops and so on - these are positioned by their private owners for specific reasons, to defend their interests, and, as such, will only point at specific places.
For example, a call might come in of a mugging in progress with suspect's descriptio nbeing a 19 year old white male wearing a blue hoody and red baseball cap.... the cctv controllers can then search the area within their camera's ark (far more effectively than a police officer often) and direct police in to make an arrest. The CCTV cameras can also be pre-positioned to look at an area of potential trouble etc. - say, if there is a large group of drunks congregating etc.
Clearly the problem is when something unexpected happens and the cameras, at that moment, are pointing the wrong way: combine this with a delay in getting a 999 call in and your suspect's can be long gone. One of the first things that happens when a call like that comes in is for the cctv operators to scan the area for suspects if it happened in an area with CCTV. If it has already happened though there is clearly a chance that the suspects have made off.
For these very reasons - and because CCTV evidence is so useful when you have it - I'm a major advocate of expanding the CCTV network hugely...if we did we'd have an even better clear-up rate (it's not that bad for muggings overall)....police/cctv operators...would be able to cover escape routes etc. a lot more easily and, of course, there is a better chance that an incident would be caught on CCTV in the first place.
There is, of course, private CCTV aswell - in shops and so on - these are positioned by their private owners for specific reasons, to defend their interests, and, as such, will only point at specific places.
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bigbadwolf
- Posts: 726
- Joined: 7 Jan 2008 21:21
- Location: Forest Hill and Sydenham
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bigbadwolf
- Posts: 726
- Joined: 7 Jan 2008 21:21
- Location: Forest Hill and Sydenham
Quite right, Bensonby. Quite right.There is, of course, private CCTV aswell - in shops and so on - these are positioned by their private owners for specific reasons, to defend their interests, and, as such, will only point at specific places.
Though it must also be noted that the "specific reasons" necessitating the presence of CCTV in Fresh & Fruity greengrocers on Sydenham Rd extend beyond the parameters of catching out shoplifters attempting to 'scrump' their stock.
No, I have it on good authority that their surveillance cameras are also pre-programmed to peek down Miss Marjoribanks' ample blouse when she pops in for her Norman's weekly bag of oranges.
The filthy scoundrels!
Thank you bensonby
If there is a camera pointing either way you would have a better view of sydenham road and the exits in and out of sydenham road and you could see all the comings and goings. What views are the camers going to have if trees that are going to be placed on sydenham road? The answer to that is more places for these rats to hide behind, you say alot of this does nt go on in sydenham, id like to know what part of sydenahm you come from becuase it's happening all the time and people only find out about them when they are posted on this website. The CCTV that are placed in shops are for their personal use and not for the passers on the street.
If there is a camera pointing either way you would have a better view of sydenham road and the exits in and out of sydenham road and you could see all the comings and goings. What views are the camers going to have if trees that are going to be placed on sydenham road? The answer to that is more places for these rats to hide behind, you say alot of this does nt go on in sydenham, id like to know what part of sydenahm you come from becuase it's happening all the time and people only find out about them when they are posted on this website. The CCTV that are placed in shops are for their personal use and not for the passers on the street.
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bigbadwolf
- Posts: 726
- Joined: 7 Jan 2008 21:21
- Location: Forest Hill and Sydenham
Bigbadwolf i know it's not a catwalk, it's more like a rat walk and was that stabbing near home park caught on CCTV.bigbadwolf wrote:Sydenham road is a road, catwoman. Not a catwalk.
Quote by bensonby in his comment...
(it's not that bad for muggings overall)
What do you think on todays stabbing then bensonby?
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biscuitman1978
- Posts: 1588
- Joined: 16 May 2006 20:14
- Location: Chislehurst; previously Sydenham
i know what he is trying to say, or what he thinks he knows. 3 members of my family have been mugged in sydenham, one was severely beaten on my doorstep on two separate occasions. None of the muggers have ever been caught. There have been quite a few muggins that i have heard of through talking to other people that haven't been reported, one of those happened last week. So what i am trying to get across is the fact that sydenham isn't as nice and friendly as people seem to think it is, or make out to be.
As has been pointed out - I was talking about the clear-up rate not being that bad in comparison to everything else.catwoman wrote:Quote by bensonby in his comment...
(it's not that bad for muggings overall)
I'm afraid I can't comment on that.catwoman wrote: What do you think on todays stabbing then bensonby?
I actually happen to be quite well placed to comment than you.catwoman wrote:i know what he is trying to say, or what he thinks he knows.
Catwoman,
I'm not really sure what the point of your posts here, in this thread, are? You seem to be arguging that CCTV should be pointing another way and that Sydenham is a ghastly place to live?
I've lived and worked here all my life and find it perfectly acceptable: You and your family have unfortunately been unlucky enough to have been victims of crime. That is terrible....but as far as things go it's a relatively safe place, as safe (or unsafe) as anywhere else.
Take a look at the Crime Maps on the Met Police website (http://maps.met.police.uk/) It shows Sydenham as being in the distinctly "average" box. Unlike, say, the Beckenham High Street area that falls within the "high" category for this month.
It does pick up suspects: unfortunately it didn't in your case. It has to be left facing in one direction or another - it can't look all ways at all times - it was unfortunate that it wasn't facing in the direction of your son's mugging when it happened. Is that an argument to have more CCTV cameras? Perhaps....
How am I more placed to comment?
Probably because I have a good working knowledge of how the police and partner agencies work, the challenges they face and the (limited) resources they have at their disposal.
How am I more placed to comment?
Probably because I have a good working knowledge of how the police and partner agencies work, the challenges they face and the (limited) resources they have at their disposal.
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bigbadwolf
- Posts: 726
- Joined: 7 Jan 2008 21:21
- Location: Forest Hill and Sydenham