The following posting appeared on our forum earlier today.

The story has been verified.

A few weeks ago, a pensioner I know in Greenham took her dog to the shop in Nightingales to get some cigs for her husband. She tied her dog up and walked past the hoodies to get in to the shop. Upon returning, the dog had gone. One of these nice young men explained that she could have her dog back if she gave them the cigarettes she'd just bought. She duly obliged, got her dog back, and made her way home where she called the police.

It turns out both the cameras are out of action. She's not political or anti-WBC,but as a 77 year old, she can't understand why her council switches off CCTV cameras to make her less safe, while spending £2m cobbling the town centre.

She hasn't been out of the house since....I think that's why people feel we all need more monitoring.

Quoted from Administrator

The following posting appeared on our forum earlier today.

The story has been verified.

A few weeks ago, a pensioner I know in Greenham took her dog to the shop in Nightingales to get some cigs for her husband. She tied her dog up and walked past the hoodies to get in to the shop. Upon returning, the dog had gone. One of these nice young men explained that she could have her dog back if she gave them the cigarettes she'd just bought. She duly obliged, got her dog back, and made her way home where she called the police.

It turns out both the cameras are out of action. She's not political or anti-WBC,but as a 77 year old, she can't understand why her council switches off CCTV cameras to make her less safe, while spending £2m cobbling the town centre.

She hasn't been out of the house since....I think that's why people feel we all need more monitoring.

WBC have got a new CCTV system! We are paying good money for this system! But it would appear it is rather a tad expensive for the supply of cameras that are not actually being used or are not actually capable of seeing anything unless those being observed are in exactly the right spot to within a couple of millimetres of the camera.

Perhaps the cameras should be installed complete with a loudhailer asking those acting suspiciously or committing crimes to come forwad a bit, left. left, forward a bit more. right, right, back just a step. Ok turn and look at the camera, head slightly up a bit. Ok once we have enhanced the picture the police will be in touch please do not leave the country whilst our specialists enhance your photograph using the latest Microsoft picture Manager enhancements.  

We should be told. I'm sure the council will tell us they can't comment!!

Quoted from richard.garvie

We should be told. I'm sure the council will tell us they can't comment!!

If I was a diligent opposition politician, I'd be all over this calling for Stansfeld to say sorry to her face to face. She could be the local version of Gillian Duffy (the Rochdale 'bigot' who felled Gordon Brown). Tiresome for the rest of us, but it keeps them occupied while the Supreme Leader puts the next stage of His Glorious 25 Year Plan in place behind their backs.  

Quoted from Muddler

If I was a diligent opposition politician, I'd be all over this calling for Stansfeld to say sorry to her face to face. She could be the local version of Gillian Duffy (the Rochdale 'bigot' who felled Gordon Brown). Tiresome for the rest of us, but it keeps them occupied while the Supreme Leader puts the next stage of His Glorious 25 Year Plan in place behind their backs.  

This is just the latest of a string of incidents in the past week or two that have taken place in areas where old cameras have been left up to act as a precautionary measure.

Now is the time that all of the old cameras should be taken down.

Quoted from richard.garvie

This is just the latest of a string of incidents in the past week or two that have taken place in areas where old cameras have been left up to act as a precautionary measure.

Now is the time that all of the old cameras should be taken down.

Hoi! What do you think you are doing? The council, purely for security reasons you understand, want the local scallies to think they are working cameras? Even though they have not moved from spotting the space station or the tops of  trees for months. The local scallies and their Aunties all know that we have had, practically, no CCTV coverage for over a year.  

Quoted from Cognosco

Hoi! What do you think you are doing? The council, purely for security reasons you understand, want the local scallies to think they are working cameras? Even though they have not moved from spotting the space station or the tops of  trees for months. The local scallies and their Aunties all know that we have had, practically, no CCTV coverage for over a year.  

Dead right. And crime's down 12% in the same period. Strange

Quoted from Muddler

Dead right. And crime's down 12% in the same period. Strange

What is the detection rate figures??

Quoted from Muddler

Dead right. And crime's down 12% in the same period. Strange

So if crime has dropped such a percentage without CCTV; does this mean the councils business case figures for upgrading to an, allegedly, inferior system and less cameras were completely wrong?  

Should we abandon CCTV altogether and see the crime figures drop even lower? Or is it the case that less crime has been reported because people know it is a waste of time as there is no evidence available to help solve the crime?

It appears that either way the poor taxpayer suffers.

     A: We pay for a system of CCTV thas is, allegedly, inferior as to be practically useless; the council refuses to reveal evidence to the    contrary.

     B: We save taxpayers money by scrapping the CCTV system. we are then, possibly, suffering more crime which goes  unreported as taxpayers know it is a waste of time as there is no recorded evidence available.

The council could certainly do more to quell the unease regarding the CCTV system. Let them demonstrate a couple of times per year, to interested parties, that the sytem works by touring the control center and showing them just how good the system is?

I complained last weekend about the Pound Lane camera, by Monday afternoon it was gone. If an official complaint is made and there is potential liability to the authority, they will whip them straight out.

Bit like the Newbury FC floodlights a few years back!!!

You're campaigning for the removal of CCTV cameras now?

Quoted from user23.3

You're campaigning for the removal of CCTV cameras now?

No, simply pointing out that leaving cameras up which do not work give a false sense of security.

Quoted from richard.garvie

No, simply pointing out that leaving cameras up which do not work give a false sense of security.

Perhaps they act as a deterrent.

What analysis have you done of this before asking for them to be removed?

Read the thread about the Pound Lane example.

Quoted from richard.garvie

Read the thread about the Pound Lane example.

I'm talking about a full risk analysis and consultation.

Can you post a link to this please?