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.

4 important Tips to get the most out of your Security Camera System

Having a modern surveillance camera system can help you when it comes to solving break-ins, robberies and a range of different crimes, but how can you improve the odds even more?

With the help of an expert audio/video forensics investigator, you can boost those odds even further in your favor - contact the TCG Digital Forensics Division on 021 110 0422 or email contact@tcgforensics.co.za for digital forensics services including CCTV image enhancement.

To get the most out of your security camera system, your cameras should be placed where they can capture the best possible footage…

Place at eye level – A camera that is close to a ceiling will cover a wider area, but that isn’t the best angle when it comes to capturing footage of a suspects face.

Don’t aim towards lights – Lighting from a window or a lamp, etc. can create silhouettes, this in turn makes it difficult to recognize a possible suspect.

Avoid it being too far away – A camera that is placed too far away is not likely to capture a high quality image of a suspects face, making it hard to identify someone.

Use multiple cameras – The more angles you have covered by cameras, the better your odds are of capturing a suspects face or any other evidence.

We hope you never need video evidence to investigate, but the tips above will improve your chances in the even that you do! 

At The Computer Guyz we offer a range of different services as well as products, we are currently offering a state-of-the-art Uniview 4 Camera CCTV System. Order yours today - Give us a call on 021 110 0422 or email contact@tcgcape.co.za

Where should you Install Security Cameras at your Business?

Your business is an important part of your life and in order for it to function properly you need to make sure the correct security measures are in place.

It’s not possible for you to go around monitoring your entire company grounds, but it is possible to use the power of technology to do so.

Many businesses have taken to installing security cameras to keep an eye on what is going on when no one is watching. Here’s why it is vital to install security cameras:

     1.       Safety and security in the office

     2.       Preventing theft, crimes and violence

     3.       Ensuring employees are performing their jobs properly

     4.       Settling disputes

     5.       Keeping an eye on unknown visitors

The most popular reasons why companies turn to using security cameras is crime prevention and investigation. Why? Because cameras record and save everything that goes on, meaning as a business owner you can go back and view an incident and find out what really happened. This footage can be used as evidence to sort out legal issues.

However, to get the maximum results from your camera you need to install them in the appropriate locations…

      -          Entrances / Exits

      -          Reception Area

      -          Office Area

      -          Store Rooms

      -          Customer Interaction Points

      -          Warehouses

      -          Loading Docks

      -          Any Secluded Locations (alleys, parking lots, dumpsters)

To have complete peace of mind you need to know that your business is protected and secure. Don’t be a victim, keep yourself and your business safe by installing security cameras!

The TCG Digital Forensics Division offers a range of services around analysis and the enhancement of CCTV footage, providing you with the footage and evidence that you need.

Our experts use a wide variety of forensic imaging technology to help to improve the quality and clarity of any images, allowing you to pick out certain important things such as vehicle registration numbers and facial features.