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Vandal-nabbing Cameras Debut09-24-07 | News

Vandal-nabbing Cameras Debut




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The digital camera inside the anti-vandalism unit is protected by bullet-resistant glass. The cameras cost from $2,500 to $3,500 each.


A California company has created an automated camera that snaps photos of taggers and other vandals and forwards them to local authorities. The hardened units also command vandals to ?EUR??,,????'??Stop!?EUR??,,????'?? in a clear, male voice.

The camera, called the Flashcam-530, is made by Q-Star Technologies of Chatsworth and features a modified 35-millimeter camera triggered by a motion detector. When activated, the unit takes photographs that are forwarded by public works to police, and play a recorded announcement.

The complete warning goes as follows: “Stop! It is illegal to vandalize this area. Your photo has just been taken and we will use this photograph to prosecute you. Leave now!”

Housed in a steel case, the cameras are designed to withstand attack as their lenses and flash units are protected by bullet-resistant covers. The cameras are usually installed 25 to 30 feet high on telephone poles.

“They’ve got shot at a few times, but none have been broken yet,” the city?EUR??,,????'???s Paul Racs said.

In the past, city officials including representatives of the city attorney’s office and Councilwoman Janice Hahn’s office bought a handful of the cameras, which cost $2,500 to $3,500 each, depending on when they were purchased.

In Los Angeles, cleanup crews removed 27 million square feet of graffiti in 2006, up from 21 million square feet in 2004.

Source: Los Angeles Times

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