Maybe Sheffield's crime figures are on the rise?

Anyway, here is the (rather worrying) news...

This week has seen the launch of the new and improved CCTV surveillance system at the University which is linked to the Control Room and monitored 24 hrs per day. Camera surveillance extends from West Street to the top of Brocco Bank, Broad Land [sic] to Northumberland Road and in the vicinity of the Geography building in Winter Street.

This launch is perhaps timely in view of the fact that in recent weeks there have been a number of burglaries targeting student properties and street robberies involving young people living and working in the Endcliffe area. So far as the burglaries are concerned these have usually been preceded by a casual visit to houses by strangers seeking directions or perhaps asking for a light for a cigarette and after noting what the house contents comprise of a return visit is made a few days later and the premises are attacked and property stolen. Please be aware and remember not to invite strangers into your home without being satisfied that they are genuine.

There have also been street attacks involving demands for banker's cards and pin numbers where victims have been accompanied to local cash points and made to draw out sums of money. These offences have usually taken place in the more quiet isolated streets and in view of the improved and extended CCTV surveillance it is suggested that you stick to well-lit routes which are covered by CCTV cameras when walking in and around the campus and to your accommodation.

By being cautious and taking these basic steps I hope that you can help us to help you from becoming a victim of crime. A special police team is dealing with this matter and should you have any concerns or information please contact Woodseats Police Station on 2963613.

At 2.47pm this afternoon, that email was forwarded to all Shef Uni students.

It's nice to know we're being looked after...

Like that's going to make much difference.....

i thought that there already would have been 24 hr cctv surveillance in those areas and ecclesall road?

Originally posted by Moonolt
At 2.47pm this afternoon, that email was forwarded to all Shef Uni students.And a few others! Like my signature says, if you ever have any interesting news then please let me know. Will the uni cameras only monitor students? What happens if a granny (who isn't a mature student!) gets mugged on their CCTV systems?

salt with take of pinch.

There's also the problem that most CCTV systems are crap - picture quality is shocking and cameras are usually too high up out of the way to get a decent picture anyway. Not much point being able to see someone getting attacked if you can't tell who anyone is.

i used to work at the uni and still know people who work in security there. the cameras are top notch - latest technology and the police can also monitor them, as well as being monitored by human beings in the control room.

i'm sure, given that the people operating the camera are decent human beings, they would call the police/ambulance etc if they saw anything which needed it.

my b/f had his mountain bike stolen from outside the children's hospital and the theif was filmed doing it. just after lunchtime and only feet from the bus stop by the emergency entrance! the tape showed a youngish lad in a baseball cap making three attempts over a period of just over 40 mins to get the lock off. he was disturbed twice. he clearly knew the camera was there and that it was not monitored by a person and he deliberately kept the peak of his cap down to avoid showing his face.

having said that, i am not in favour of having cameras on every street corner, but in town centres and if they are high enough quality to be useful and most importantly monitored by a person it might be worth having them. afterall its not much good being filmed as the victim of an attack, lie dying in the street etc when if monitored help would already be on its way.

I think that's the key - monitored CCTV. I've seen news clips of these monitoring rooms and it seems the operators have a lot of cameras to monitor at the same time. When I walk past a CCTV camera I generally assume I'm not being watched, but just being recorded.

How do you get a job at those CCTV places? Sounds fun :P