Short-sighted CCTV looks away as yobs cause chaos (From News Shopper)

Short-sighted CCTV looks away as yobs cause chaos

12:26pm Tuesday 23rd September 2003 in Bexley By Linda Piper

A FURIOUS trader claims a town centre CCTV system is useless when it comes to spotting crime.

Photographer Nigel Barrett helped to raise the money needed for the cameras.

But after the latest incident at his shop he says he feels the whole thing has been a waste of time.

Overnight, the window of his Broadway shop was smashed by vandals. “As usual, nothing of the vandalism was caught on the CCTV camera which covers my area of the Broadway,” an angry Mr Barrett told News Shopper.

The shattered window on 11 September was the latest in a catalogue of incidents he is concerned about, not all involving damage to his shop.

“My daughter was attacked several months ago in the Broadway near Christ Church and again, nothing of the attack was caught on the cameras. I have just had enough of it,” he said.

Mr Barrett believes the cameras are being misused, to spy on motorists parking, rather than watching out for crime.

He said: “I have no rear entrance and if I need to load equipment I have to park in front of my shop, where there are double yellow lines.

“It seems funny that when I do, I can see the camera zoom onto me every time.” He added: “I don’t like to put Bexleyheath down. I was all for CCTV cameras being installed in the Broadway to help cut crime. I even went to all the other traders, persuading them it was a good idea and getting them to contribute towards our share of the cost.

“We were told the cameras would be recording all the time so why do they never have any of these incidents on tape?” Bexley council leader Councillor Chris Ball said: “The very nature of CCTV cameras means not everything will be caught on film, but we have evidence which proves they make a difference to safety”.