Bengaluru: Cops to use hi-definition cameras to catch chain-snatchers

The police expect the high-definition cameras to help nab chain-snatchers, who have striking at impunity across the city. Each junction will have two such cameras.

Ms Rohini Katoch Sepat, DCP (South-East), told Deccan Chronicle, “To send a strong message to anti-social elements, we need to first catch them. With technological advancement, the criminals too have become smarter and evade police. There have been instances where the police have put up checkposts when a chain snatching incident has taken place, but the criminals manage to get out of the scene. To help identify such criminals, I have proposed to install number plate recognition cameras.”

She said, “The high definition cameras, which will be installed at a height of two-and-a-half feet from the ground level, will capture the number plates of passing vehicles on the key arterial roads and will be attached to the control room. The cameras will send direct feed to the control room and we can analyse the footage once such incidents occur. This will help us catch chain snatchers, thieves and drug peddlers.”

A city-based techie, Mr Santosh Kumar, who has developed the system, said that the camera comes with an enclosure. “The new high definition number plate recognition camera has a capacity of 75 frames per second with 5 megapixel uni-focal lense. The camera will be placed at a height of two-and-a-half feet above the ground and will be installed on the medians and footpaths. The camera will capture the images of vehicles passing in front of it with an automatic speed control setter.”

He said, “The camera will also have the provision to set a speed limit at which the image can be captured. During nights, the camera which is equipped with self-flash mechanism can easily capture images. Once the data is stored via fibre data network, it will be transferred to the respective police stations. The camera along with an enclosure would cost Rs 2.5 lakh.”

Ms. Katoch said that the cameras will be sponsored by commercial establishments near all the key junctions. “As of now, we have identified Sony World Junction in Koramangala and Marathahalli flyover to install the cameras. The Outer Ring Road, where crimes occur frequently, too will be covered under this project,” she said.

This is not the first time that the police have taken such an initiative. DCP (south-east) Rohini Katoch Sepat has developed a solution to map online crime data in her division with the help of city-based startup, Techpod Technologies. The online crime mapping service is currently being used by 17 police officials in the south-east division.