OBSID - Obs LPR cameras help in 7 arrests so far
LPR stands for Licence Plate Recognition, and this is a software technology linked to a camera capable of running it, in order to record the licence plate and vehicle description details of the vehicles that pass within its focus.
In simple terms, every car that passes the camera has its number plate read by the camera, even at night.
The number is then sent up to a database server, which does a quick search on it, a bit like a Google search you do on your computer.
If the number has been ‘listed’ or registered in the database with a South African Police Services case number linked to a crime, an alert is then sent to SAPS, security and public safety companies in the area.
Only vehicles positively linked to crimes are listed, and the process to do so is controlled.
The database is not accessible to citizens so not anyone can register number plates on it.
Residents will not be able to list the number plate of the neighbour who parks too close to your driveway!
Most suburbs in Cape Town have these camera’s installed now, but they are very expensive.
In Obs, we were not able to afford them until some more economical models were released late last year.
The first area to have a number of these camera’s installed, was the City Centre, as part of the original Business against Crime initiative.
They proved so successful that other neighbourhoods began to install them immediately.
Finally, we in Obs are joining the club.
Crime in Obs is inherently mobile, most of our perpetrators drive into Obs, commit a crime or crimes, and roll right out of Obs back onto the choice of 5 freeways or the many minor roads that surround us.
We will use these cameras for two main purposes.
Firstly, to get an alert about a listed vehicle entering the area.
The alert will be forwarded to our local sector SAPS teams, as well as all the security companies that work in our area, including the OBSID security team.
Secondly, any vehicle that has been linked to a crime committed in Obs, will also be listed along with the case number of the case it was involved in.
These details are shared with the neighbourhoods across the Peninsula, so not only we will be watching for them.
The system has proven effective.
In the middle of February, our single camera has already contributed to 7 arrests and provided nearly 100 alerts over the period mid December to mid February.
Interestingly, the arrests are not only in Obs.
Two were in Mowbray, two in Woodstock and three for ATM crimes in Obs.
This simply underlines the fact that the key to this success is cooperation.
A central storage area means that data is being compared across many locations and the more of them there are, the fewer places criminals have to hide.
As with everything else in our OBSID area, budgets and money are tight, but we have planned to add to this network later in the year, with both the assistance and approval from the City of Cape Town.
Our public safety motto to the community in Obs is ‘see something, say something’.
The LPR cameras are just another extension of that very effective practice in community led public safety.