All-seeing eyes to keep burglars at bay

While the fear psychosis about burglaries and kidnapping of children is increasing in the state, a residents’ association in Alappuzha has installed 50 CCTV cameras in their locality to book thieves a

ALAPPUZHA: While the fear psychosis about burglaries and kidnapping of children is increasing in the state, a residents’ association in Alappuzha has installed 50 CCTV cameras in their locality to book thieves and chain snatchers. Kalavoor Residents’ Association (KRA) has installed cameras with the help of residents within  a 1-km radius.“We have installed as many as 50 cameras in a radius of 1 km in our residential area,” KRA president K P Harilal told Express. “The decision was taken after the theft and kidnapping attempts have increased in the state. After installing the cameras, one incident of hit and run was caught with the help of the footage.”

“A vehicle hit a pedestrian and sped away last week. The victim  fell on the road and sustained minor injuries. But the victim was unable to identify the vehicle. After analysing the camera visuals, we caught the vehicle. But the victim suffered minor injuries and he had not filed a complaint with the police. So we gave a warning to the driver and let him go,” Harilal said.

The cameras were set up with the help of house owners. Four to eight cameras were installed in 12 houses. As much as Rs 2,400 was spent for setting up four cameras. Some of the  cameras are focused on the path leading to houses and others are turned towards the compound of houses. The cameras have the capacity to capture visuals up to 40 feet in day light and 20 feet at night. Proper lighting is also given to for picture clarity at night, the association president said.

KRA has around 150 members and other families have also decided to install cameras. After the installation of cameras, antisocial activities like eve-teasing, using narcotics in isolated places have been reduced, said residents. This is for the first time in the district a residents’ association has set up CCTV cameras across the locality to catch burglars and prevent anti social activities, Harilal said. 

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