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Odiham, UK – 20 December, 2006 – As we enter what is arguably the busiest shopping week of the year, a new study by Telindus, an expert in delivering vendor-independent business and technology-focused network solutions and services, has drawn attention to the growing problem of street crime on Britain’s High Streets.  The study revealed that nearly half of shoppers worry about pick-pockets or being mugged, with 23 per cent preferring to shop online to avoid the risk, suggesting that retailers and local authorities need to be more inventive when deploying surveillance tools to keep criminals on their toes.

 

While the recent British crime survey showed that crime rates have fallen by 10.74 per cent in the year to June 2006, 59 per cent of shoppers questioned in Telindus’ straw poll survey across the South East revealed that CCTV failed to alleviate fears of street crime, suggesting that cameras ‘made no difference’.  Reasons cited for the technology’s ineffectiveness include the belief that criminals are fully aware where cameras are (34 per cent) and any images that are caught on camera are of extremely poor quality, therefore useless in a court of law (31 per cent).  For nearly a quarter of respondents, the fear of being pick-pocketed actually provoked them to shop online rather than venture into busy shopping areas, which must ring alarm bells for High Street retailers who are already baulking under the competition posed by online stores.

 

“The concerns identified in this study highlight the fact that many businesses are still relying on fixed CCTV technology,” said Mark Hutchinson, UK managing director at Telindus.  “With innovative technologies such as IP CCTV, poor quality images and fixed camera locations are no longer an issue.  IP CCTV cameras can be connected wirelessly to a business network and easily re-located in a matter of hours to keep criminals guessing. As images are stored in digital format, footage is of higher quality and can be stored more cost effectively on any standard IP storage device rather than on legacy stand-alone systems.  It is time businesses started to move forward with their surveillance technology as it is clearly a cause of concern for consumers.”

 

IP CCTV systems are currently used in Westminster, enabling video to be digitally encoded and transmitted across the wireless network to a wide range of destinations.  Images can also be instantly transmitted to street based employees with PDAs and allow instant sharing of information with front-line staff. Because video is carried over standard IP networks it is also easier to share information with third parties such as police, retailers and private security staff. The benefits of the cameras’ flexibility have been instantly evident. 

 

The study also indicated that the public has now accepted CCTV technology as a part of everyday life.  Despite that fact that the UK has one camera for every 12 people, only 20 per cent of respondents felt that the UK had too many CCTV cameras, with just a quarter seeing camera surveillance as an invasion of privacy.  This acceptance is highlighted by the amount of times respondents thought they were caught on film – almost half (48 per cent) thought they were filmed a maximum of 50 times a day, whereas the average Londoner is filmed on average 300 times a day. 

 

“For retailers and local authorities, the message is clear – don’t be complacent.  Although CCTV is now part of our culture, keep thinking and make sure your surveillance strategies are inventive,” added Hutchinson.

 

The Telindus survey, carried out during the week of 11 December, comprised of 258 shoppers from the South East region.  The company sought to explore public attitudes toward CCTV and whether the technology made them feel safer in their communities, in particular when shopping in the run up to Christmas.

About Telindus

Telindus is a group of companies offering ICT Solutions and Services. Telindus serves business and public market needs as a solution and sourcing partner, delivering secured converged networking, and secured systems & applications underpinned by management and support services.

 

With over 36 years experience in ICT, Telindus is investing considerably in expertise to service modern IT and telecommunications infrastructures throughout their life cycle. Telindus' enviable track record and longstanding partnerships with leading equipment suppliers offers a safe route for enterprises, telecom operators and government bodies looking to deploy long-lasting ICT solutions.

 

In January 2006, Telindus joined the Belgacom Group to become the IT Services Branch of a new business leader in the market. Belgacom SA/NV [Euronext Brussels:BELG] is the leading telecommunications company in Belgium and a market leader in a number of areas, including retail and wholesale fixed-line telephony services, mobile communications services, broadband data and Internet services. Together, Belgacom and Telindus are building a Belgian champion in the European IT landscape, presenting the market a unique offering, uniting Connectivity and IT Services. www.belgacom.be

 

Telindus posted a turnover of EUR 618 million in 2005. With a highly skilled international team of 2.750 employees, Telindus is present in 14 countries in Western Europe, Hungary, China and Thailand.   Telindus is headquartered in Belgium. www.telindus.com