DCP (L&O-II) Kranti Rana Tata on Thursday called on the gold merchants and owners of jewellery workshops in the city to ensure that all their premises were covered by CCTV camera surveillance for prevention and quick detection of thefts.
Addressing the gathering of gold merchants and goldsmiths in a crime awareness meeting hosted by the Kamakshi Swarnakara Sangham, Mr. Rana emphasised the need for security surveillance in public places and places like jewellery shops and workshops that were vulnerable to thefts according to the AP Public Safety (Measures) Enforcement Act, 2013.
“After the installation of CCTV cameras at many places in the city, about 35% of the offences came down. Most of the thefts, missing and other cases are being detected and cracked with the help of CCTV footage,” he said. Mr. Rana asked the owners of the gold shops to install high-quality CCTV cameras and have the facility to store the footage of at least a month. The owners should perform a background check of persons to be employed with the help of the police and also recheck the background of existing workers, he said.
A fine of ₹5,000 would be imposed on the owner if the cameras were not set up. If caught the second time, the fine would be ₹10,000 and further action would be taken the third time, he said.
Survey
He said a detailed survey would be carried out for the establishment of a better surveillance system. Also, the police department was contemplating to set up cameras at city canals to prevent suicides.
Kamakshi Swarnakara Sangham president Ch. Anji Babu, general secretary B. Ravindra and others were present.
The meeting was held in view of the recent dacoity in a jewellery workshop which had a dysfunctional CCTV system.
The robbery was pulled off with the help of an insider.
