How cameras can solve your security issues

In a TVNZ report on two men facing sheep-rustling charges earlier this month, the Hawkes Bay police said stock rustling has reached “epidemic proportions” with over 300 animals stolen so far this year.

Last week a report on Radio New Zealand highlighted the theft of winter feed supplies from farms in Waikato.

The Taranaki Daily News reported recently how a Hawera farmer nearly lost 660 tonnes of silage worth $70,000 after it was vandalized in a paddock.

Increasingly farmers and rural contractors need to beef up security on their property. One cost effective way of doing this is by installing surveillance cameras that allow property owners to conduct their own sting operations and keep their property secure.

It’s an approach Marlborough earthworks contractor Jason Bryant decided to take after becoming frustrated with regular fuel theft from his vehicles. Mr Bryant owns Bryant Earthworks and the company has gravel screening plant at a site on the Pelorus River.

“We noticed it was being milked quite regularly of diesel. Over 15 months, at least once a month we were losing about 150 litres which really adds up over time.”

Mr Bryant approached Orb Nelson, a distributor in Nelson of New Zealand’s first wire-free portable outdoor security cameras, the RedEye, who advised him how a security camera would be able to help.

The RedEye camera was camouflaged and placed about four meters from the diesel tank. Within a week Mr Bryant had the first pictures of a theft in progress.

“The man was there for about 20 minutes and in that time the camera took nearly 600 pictures,” says Mr Bryant.

The police were shown the high quality images and identified the offender immediately. The case is now proceeding to court.

“It took some convincing to invest in the camera,” says Mr Bryant. “I wasn’t sure it would work but it’s paid off. I will also be able to use the RedEye in areas where I have logging crews. The locations where they work are often isolated which makes these sites more vulnerable.”

Traditional surveillance cameras have limitations especially in remote rural areas where there may be no access to mains power. Cabling has also been a prohibitive expense. Both of these factors has dramatically limited the effectiveness of camera usage in the past.

The new RedEye range of wirefree and wireless surveillance cameras from surveillance specialists, Mi5 Security has solved these problems.

“They are New Zealand’s first truly portable and affordable solution to beating crime,” says Mi5 Security CEO Helen Wattie.

There are two options of outdoor surveillance camera to choose from. Both RedEye models come with a SD media card capable of storing over 65,000 high quality security-grade images. Additionally, the RedEye Wireless has a modem that transmits images directly to your email, mobile phone and to the MyMi5 secure internet portal site. No cabling is required for either model.

The cameras have an IP65 rated housing (fully weatherproof) with modular options that include integrated solar panel, integrated infrared spotlights for night vision and modem options. Both cameras in the series come standard with 3.3mm wide-angle lens that is designed to start capturing security images as soon as the device detects movement.

“Now, with the set and forget nature of the RedEye cameras, farmers, rural contractors or anyone with a security issue can conduct their own sting operation and take control of their own security needs,” says Ms Wattie.

The RedEye cameras are ideal for outdoor surveillance applications and have already proven themselves with the New Zealand Police, several Local Government Agencies and a wide variety of customers in other industry sectors.

Visit the Mi5 Security stand (I1) at New Zealand National Agricultural Fieldays at Mystery Creek from 16 – 19 June, 2010 to see the RedEye and RedEye Wireless cameras in action.