Estate Yobs to be Captured on Infrared Cameras
Land Rovers with infrared cameras similar to those used in TV show Big Brother will cruise estates in Hammersmith and Fulham catching yobs on candid camera.
Council estate wardens will patrol in the 4x4s and use dual illuminated night vision cameras in a bid to capture hooligans on camera, even when they are operating under cover of darkness.
Historically CCTV evidence captured on cameras has not always been of a quality that would guarantee a conviction in court.
But Conservative Cllr Greg Smith, cabinet member for crime & anti-social behaviour says the new vehicles have the most up-to-date technology on the market.
He said, "The camera is a full pan tilt and zoom model that is the same as the cameras used in the Big Brother house. It has a windscreen wiper for the rain and is able to see in complete darkness as it has an infra red light attached to it. These lights are invisible to the human eye and the person being filmed would not know that they are standing in an area that is being flooded with infrared light."
The council has invested in the cutting edge vehicles to fight back against the minority of anti-social yobs that plague some of the borough's estates.
Images of offenders will recorded onto a digital recorder mounted in the vehicle allowing court quality evidence to be captured at the touch of a button.
Cllr Smith said: "These new vehicles will help our estate wardens make Hammersmith and Fulham a safer place to be. We are rebalancing the system to put the power back in the hands of the law abiding majority and put the criminal minority on the back foot."
June 18, 2007