Case for cameras
OVER a week ago we saw a terrifying scenario unfold, where a householder caught a would-be thief on video trying to break into her home.
It was truly a frightening experience, because we were able to see how bold some persons are, to walk up to a home in broad daylight and attempt to commit a robbery. It was also scary to think of what could have happened if the person had actually broken into the home and was confronted by the person inside. Thankfully the person had the presence of mind to record the act, and therefore made light work for law enforcement officials in trying to identify or capture the perpetrator.
Certainly now would be a good time for security companies and other experts in the field to step forward and make a case for security cameras. Granted, persons like myself would be concerned about the cost of installing such a system, but arguably, the mere presence of cameras (on or off) would act as an automatic deterrent for criminal elements.
Recently, this writer saw a compilation of videos of persons literally running into stopped vehicles and unconvincingly falling onto the ground in order to nab a big insurance payout. In one instance, the driver of the vehicle shouted to the con artist that the “incident” was caught on the car’s dash cam. It was not surprising that the fraudster, who ten seconds before was on the ground writhing in pain, immediately got up, jumped on the back of an awaiting motorcycle and sped off. Yes, they have accomplices who would invariably become witnesses if the need arises. Such is the world in which we are living. There are persons who will try to beat the system and you may be an unsuspecting victim left scratching your head in disbelief.
On the other hand, there are legitimate accidents that occur and it is a case of “he said, she said” when the police arrive on the scene. It would truly be invaluable if we could have all of the cameras currently mounted in Barbados to be actually working, and hopefully capturing some of the chaos that happens on our roads. Certainly at major intersections, traffic lights and other areas prone to accidents, that would be a good investment by the State to gather this evidence that would be useful for insurance purposes, or sometime in the future if admissible in a Court of Law. Likewise there are too many storeowners who have cameras, but for some reason they are never working.
While understandably persons are concerned about their privacy, we must also admit that the strategic installation of cameras is an investment that could go a long way in protecting us on the roads and in our homes.