Hold onto your precious puppy. The American Kennel Club reported three times as many dog thefts in the first five months of 2008 than in all of 2007. While not as high as other types of property theft this very upsetting form of loss due to theft is obviously on the rise. While it is shocking that anyone would sink so low as to steal a dog, there are a number of likely motives. Dogs may be stolen as a means to acquire a pet. A high number of the thefts were reported around Valentines Day, which could mean they were stolen and then given as gifts. Online sellers of dogs also create a means for thieves to turn a profit from a stolen dog. This puts purebreds, puppies and toy dogs at particular risk, since sellers can ask a high price for them. For example, a King Charles Spaniel would generally sell for $3000. A thief could sell one for $1500, turn that high profit, and avoid questions. Buyers would consider themselves lucky to find such a great deal and keep quiet. Dogs stolen in those early months of 2008 included Yorkshire terriers, poodles, Pomeranians, shih tzu, bulldogs, corgis, a Norwich terrier and a mastiff.

Dog theft can occur in a number of ways. Some thieves walk off with puppies from pet stores and animal shelters or take dogs tied up outside stores and coffee shops. Others are more elaborate in their schemes. They will pose as interested buyers to scope out a home and later return to abduct the animals. In Los Angeles last year, two armed men used this method and then held a family of four at gun point while stealing four Yorkshire terrier puppies and one adult dog. Yet this kind of planned operation is far less common than a thief simply taking advantage of inattentive owners. The black market sale of animals, such as craigslist, instills a temptation in individuals. So while most do not wake up planning to steal a pet, they might consider the crime if an opportunity arises.

Dogs are not the only animals at risk, as cats are also being targeted by thieves. Last year the theft of a kitten named Ernie in Virginia prompted proposed legislation in that state to make stealing a cat a felony rather than a misdemeanor. In some states the theft of a dog is already a felony, but it may depend on the worth of the animal. For example, in Ohio, theft of a dog valued under $500 is a misdemeanor, while stealing a pet worth more than $1,000 from a home is considered felony grand theft.

There are a number of ways to safeguard your pet in the event of theft, such as microchips, registered identity tattoos through the National Dog Registry and GPS collars. But prevention is best handled through attentiveness and mindful interactions with others. You should never leave your dog alone in your yard for long periods, especially if it’s visible from the street. If strangers approach you with admiring comments about your dog, don’t share information about his cost or where you live.
You can also keep an extra eye on the dog through a security camera placed in your car or in your front yard. If your eyes are turned you could lose your little loved one, but with the cameras eye, you may be able to get it back to your home and arms more easily.

After the collapse of the US housing and financial markets in September 2008, criminologists and law enforcement agencies in major urban centers have reported sharp rises in violent crimes. Major US cities nationwide including New York, Houston, Chicago, Boston, and Pittsburgh all endured homicide rate jumps for 2008.
And if 20th century recession trends serve as any guide, these cities now face the almost certain prospect of heightened robberies in 2009 as well. Experts report a consistent correlation from each economic recession since the 1950’s: escalating homicide rates historically serve as a precursor to spikes in property crimes and robberies after a one year lag period.
It appears the converse is also true, as prosperous times have statistically coincided with peaceful eras in US cities as well. New York City boasted it’s lowest reported robbery tally in modern history during 2007 (21,787), down 80% from 1981.
Yet, the current financial crisis has left many municipal budgets strapped for resources. The economic downturn has resulted in the slashing of social service spending across the country, and understaffed police forces now face the enviable challenge of combating the rising tide of crime with fewer officers.

With the Super bowl on Sunday, Arizona residents will be glued to the TV. However, for one robber, his Sunday will be spent in a jail cell. In Glendale, AZ a thief entered a pizzeria, and took a television and over $300 from the register. Security cameras show the man counting the money from the register, which is where the store’s security cameras are focused. It is always a great idea to have cameras focused on the most valuable items at a location. In this case, the cash register was the perfect spot. In this case the security system did its job.

Police haven not will be identifying the suspect by posting the security footage on TV or the internet. Without a picture law enforcement would have a tough time find the perpetrator. It seems like there is always more news of criminals stealing stuff from hardworking people. Especially with people enduring tough times, theft is more prevalent than ever. It seems prudent to counter the raise in thefts with an increase in security cameras being used in an attempt to protect valuables from theft and damage, in particular money. Remember, the goal of security cameras in a business is to protect yourself, the public, and your customers.

Hidden camera technology is great for home and business security, but the reality television craze of late has allowed users to become more creative with these devices. Citizen journalists, amateur videographers and producers are taking hidden cameras to the streets and documenting day-to-day events in hopes of coming up with something worthwhile that could possible alter public opinion.

Alex Jones, A Texas based media personality who came to fame through his book about “Government Sponsored Terrorism,” and his blog, Jones Report, had his friends working for him to expose corruption in the police state back in 2002. These “spies” would drive around with hidden dashboard cameras ready to capture any police related incidents they might encounter. One friend in particular uncovered an unprecedented amount of corruption amongst officers and broadcast the footage on YouTube.com and other popular sites to expose it.

So far the videos captured have created quite a buzz as they show police performing an illegal search, hounding the driver about certain legal items they found in his car, such as a picture of one of the driver’s friends armed while serving in Iraq which they claimed was evidence enough to search the vehicle for illegal firearms, and treating him with extreme disrespect. The clips have gotten so much media attention that police officers in the Austin, TX area have actually come to recognize the ringleaders in this hidden camera ploy and in order to avoid being further exposed for corruption have backed off quite a bit in terms of the unnecessary “power tripping.”

During tough economic times convenience stores expect a lower sales margin to decrease their profitability. What they may not expect is for the depressed economic state to also affect the trust-worthiness of employees. Consolidated Buying Co. research shows that both employee theft and shoplifting increase during hard economic times. The CBC runs an online training program to help store owners prevent internal theft. The course materials state that 72% of loss is coming from employee theft. Employees are familiar with security procedures, placement of security cameras, and may even have access to the store’s security system. This creates a temptation for the employee to steal from a store, especially during a recession.

The CBC recommends open communication about no sales as one measure to decrease employee theft. Another smart move for convenience store owners is to increase security measures through well hidden security cameras. Self contained models or pinhole cameras can be placed behind the counter. Employees will not be aware of hidden cameras and can therefore not hide dishonest behavior from their view. This is a quick remedy to single out the employees who would steal in any environment and lower the temptation for those who are financially desperate in this economy. By fully protecting himself from employee theft, a store owner creates a more trust-worthy employee pool and decreases loss substantially.

Surveillance cameras, when used strategically, provide a superior layer of preventative security and indisputable evidence when theft occurs. Traditionally, surveillance cameras served as a presence that let thieves know “big brother” was watching, often deterring them from stealing in the first place. However, thieves are wising up and learning how to outsmart the system which has resulted in the increasingly difficult task of catching them in action.

One way to build a stronger surveillance system within your business is to use the traditional surveillance camera in tandem with covert or hidden cameras. As a first level of defense the traditional security camera will deter a person who is less motivated to steal and will catch a clumsy criminal. Surveillance cameras now come with advanced features, many of which give you the option of viewing video footage wirelessly from any location. Additional features may include infrared technology which helps provide proper night surveillance or dome shaped camera designs which are difficult to tamper with.

Covert cameras act as a second layer of defense by covering blind spots, and catching more finely tuned and planned out crimes, especially those from within the business. Covert cameras allow business owners to keep an eye on employees without their knowledge and are designed to fit seamlessly into any setting. Hidden cameras, especially self contained cameras (an object with the recording device built in- no wires, transmitters or receivers) are very difficult to detect, even for the seasoned thief. A cleverly placed wall clock, sprinkler head, or even a minute screw head hidden camera could provide a valuable record of a cash register sleight of hand. By the same token, an exit sign hidden camera could provide surveillance in a stock room or catch valuable merchandise camouflaged with the trash leaving the store.

With the many surveillance devices on the market, the possibilities for combining traditional cameras with non-traditional covert cameras for effective video surveillance are seemingly endless.

Spy cams for the half-blind In 2005 San Francisco woman Tanya Vlach lost her left eye in a car accident. Recently she made a call to engineers on her blog to develop technology to replace her plastic prosthesis with a webcam. An expert has stated that a normal spy cam could be fitted into her prosthetic eyeball and wirelessly transmitted to a TV monitor or cell phone.

Spy cams in politics Popular Indian film actor and politician, Chiranjeevi, has summoned his aids to spy on new entrants to his Praja Rajyam party, as a result of leakage of critical information about his policies and activities. Ironically, Chiranjeevi announced this at a high-level meeting that was secretly taped and evidently leaked to the press.

Test scams Steven Lee and Rong Yang were recently sentenced to eight months in prison for using spy cams to help test takers pass the Life in the United Kingdom test, a test for foreigners seeking naturalization or permanent settlement in the UK. Each customer wore a miniature spy cam that was linked to the pair’s laptops and radio transmitters, enabling the pair to see the exams and dictate correct answers through hidden earpieces.

Spy cams in nursing homes Spy cams installed in a Long Island nursing home have revealed abuse of patients and employees forging medical records to conceal misconducts.
The program will be extended throughout New York State to protect the rights of senior citizens.

Spy cams in the workplace Anheuser-Busch fired sixteen employees for violating company policy after installing two spy cams at their St. Louis brewery. These violations include smoking marijuana, sleeping on the job, and urinating on the roof. The company is under criticism for not bargaining with the union before the installation.

In a similar case, a hidden camera investigation in Nashville caught judges wasting taxpayers’ dollars. Time sheets of court employees showed they were being paid for time not spent working. These employees received a full day’s pay, though they left work early or did not show up at all, and instead were running personal errands and playing golf.

According to the Uniform Crime Reporting Program Crime Clock, a burglary takes place in the U.S. every 14.6 seconds . It is never a bad idea to be too cautious, especially when it comes to protecting your home or office against potential intruders. One approach that many home and business owners take to preventing theft is to install an alarm system. In the possible case that the intruder successfully breaks in, an alarm system may cause them to stay for a shorter amount of time and lessen the amount of damage. When shopping for an alarm system it is a good idea to consider one with a central monitoring system, that is, someone off site monitoring your system and ready to respond if and when an intrusion occurs. These systems are advantageous because they provide on call response even when you are away, which is when burglars are working their hardest.

At the same time, individuals using alarm systems should not blindly rely on them or use them as a sole defense mechanism. In addition to an alarm system, people should use common sense practices such as always locking doors with solid locking mechanisms and keeping valuables in safes to further their protection.

There are two types of dome cameras available, fixed and PTZ (pan, tilt, zoom). A fixed dome camera shoots a constant position, while a PTZ is more versatile with the ability to shoot from various angles and can be programmed to zoom at the cue of desired motions. Many businesses prefer dome cameras as a security measure because of their weatherproof and vandal-proof design. Another advantage is the smoked covered bubble that encases the camera. This allows the camera to be obscured from people’s vision, making it harder to know whether they are on surveillance. Dome cameras are a perfect way to maximize security within an establishment. Although, some drawbacks would be the intrusive bubble design, and the limitation of where to install the cameras. Most are ideally made for ceiling use, possibly making maintenance a task. We recommend the Weatherproof Varifocal Color Armor Dome for $199.85 today.

There are several different types of systems that wireless camera’s run on depending on where the user wants to store the information and in what format they want to view the information. The following describes two common systems that wireless security cameras use. A standard wireless camera without internet connection requires the user to have a camera and receiver device. The camera must be plugged into an outlet or powered by a battery and the receiver must be connected to an outlet along with the television. The receiver has a min. of 3 plug-ins; the power cord, and video and audio connections via the television. Once installed, the camera and receiver are set to the same frequency and it is on that frequency that the camera transmits signals to the receiver which picks up the signals using an antenna. The receiver then feeds the information to the TV monitor where information can be recorded on either a VCR or DVR system. The second type of security camera system involves the internet. A wireless internet security camera system requires an internet connection which can either reach the camera through a wireless network or by Ethernet cable, depending on user preference and camera specifications. If the camera runs on a wireless network, a router is required. The camera must be plugged into a power source or battery powered and once connected to the internet, records video and audio and then feeds the information to a storage device. The storage device can either be the computer hard drive, a separate designated storage drive, or the camera can record straight onto the internet broadband. Some unique features of a wireless internet camera include the ability to have email notifications sent, mobile phone updates, and the ability to log on from any computer worldwide to view the recordings. The internet can be used in various ways even with a standard camera which connects to the television, for example, an internet ready television can take the information from the receiver and record it to an internet DVR.