Fun Facts About CCTV Cameras and Surveillance Systems

CCTV cameras are a part of our everyday life. Even if you don’t opt to have a security camera in your home or business, it’s almost impossible to leave your home and move around in the outside world without encountering not just one, but many surveillance camera systems and CCTV security cameras. Have you ever wondered about the facts behind CCTV security and surveillance cameras? Here are some interesting facts and observations you can drop into conversation the next time someone brings up CCTV surveillance.

The surveillance camera was invented by Walter Burch. They’ve been around since 1942, when Siemens, an engineering company, installed the first surveillance system at a rocket launch site in Germany.

It took another 20 years for CCTV camera systems to appear in public use in the United States. That happened in Olean, New York in 1962, when the city installed security cameras in its business district to help prevent crime.

The first industry to adopt the use of CCTV security on a wide basis was – what else – the banking industry. Governments throughout the world use the latest CCTV technology in government buildings and military bases, as well as in any area that is at risk from terrorist attacks, including foreign embassies.

The commercial retail industry adopted security camera systems as a way to prevent theft and vandalism, but many businesses also turn the surveillance on their own employees. Despite the wide use of CCTV surveillance, only about 5 percent of US crimes and 3 percent of UK crimes are solved because of a video surveillance camera.

While most people think of CCTV surveillance as a crime prevention solution, many industries use CCTV camera systems to monitor areas where it is not safe or possible for humans to enter or work. CCTV camera use is prevalent in nuclear power plants, chemical factories and other circumstances where a human would be in danger. One well-publicized use of CCTV camera monitoring is in bomb disposal, where a surveillance camera mounted on a robotic base can give technicians an up close and personal look at a suspected explosive device.

If you drive, you’re likely to encounter at least one traffic surveillance camera in use. Municipalities use them to detect traffic violations, pinpoint areas of congestion and record traffic patterns for traffic planning purposes.

While most people use CCTV camera systems to provide security for their homes and businesses, criminals have been known to use wireless video surveillance camera systems near ATMs to record bank card information and read PINs entered by customers. Some criminals have set up surveillance systems in affluent neighborhoods to record the comings and goings of prospective targets rather than casing the area physically.

If you’re considering a security camera system or CCTV security system for your home or business, research the many options available for your use before making a decision. There have been many developments in the CCTV industry since surveillance cameras first appeared on the scene in 1942.