How CCTV Footage can assist in Crime Investigations, Evidence & Prevention

CCTV (Closed Circuit Television) surveillance cameras can be used as a useful tool when it comes to fighting crime, finding valuable evidence that can be used in court and ensuring the streets are kept safe.

The very presence of a CCTV camera can sometimes scare criminals away and prevent the crimes from happening in the first place.

Investigators such as police investigators and digital forensics investigators use CCTV footage from cameras in many investigations, often to find licence plate numbers and identify criminals.

In movies and series, all their CCTV video evidence is conveniently shot in HD, with perfect lighting and no blurriness whatsoever. Unfortunately this doesn’t happen in real life. OSINT and digital forensics investigators use specialised forensic software to reveal details in videos that you thought were lost forever, resulting in an almost perfectly clear video that you can use to identify someone or something!

Call 021 110 0422 or email contact@osint.co.za today should you need our Open-Source Intelligence or digital forensics services - we offer CCTV and image enhancement as well as image source verification and integrity assessments. 

There are many ways that CCTV surveillance cameras can help crimes, here’s how:

- CCTV cameras can be used to monitor your home or business while you are away.

- The CCTV footage can be cleaned up by professionals (www.osint.co.za) and used to identify suspects, witness and vehicles.

- Digital forensics investigators can use the footage to find important clues as well as identify the behaviour of the suspect.

-  Footage can be used to create a timeline of events before and after the incident or crime took place.

- CCTV camera footage can be used to determine measurements and dimensions of objects involved in crimes.

- Footage can also be utilized to determine where the exit and entry points are of the scene of the crime.

- In abduction cases, the CCTV footage will be useful in tracking down the suspects and possibly saving someone’s life.

- Video footage can be used to prove or disprove allegations against someone.

- Sometimes if the footage is used as evidence of a crime it could result in a guilty plea from the suspect.

Many people and businesses in South Africa and around the world are installing CCTV camera systems as part of an effort to protect themselves against crimes as well as prevent it from happening.