The Mira Mesa Arsonist: How Surveillance Cameras Help Keep Communities Safe In the early morning of January 3, residents of a Mira Mesa, CA apartment complex were awoken by loud booms. A peek outside quickly explained why – a row of cars was fully ablaze. But this was no accidental fire. Investigators soon determined that it had been deliberately set – and that other recent fires in the area had also been arson. Even just an hour later that same morning, the scene was repeated at another nearby apartment complex. For several weeks, a suspected serial arsonist had been setting fires to upwards of 33 vehicles and eluding authorities. It seems none of the locations the arsonist has struck have had sufficient security cameras to help so far in identifying those responsible for these seemingly random attacks, and citizens in Mira Mesa have begun asking why. “Why do we not have freaking cameras?” one victim asked. “That’s so ridiculous. I don’t understand it.” What difference could more significant video surveillance and CCTV make on a situation like this and on public safety as a whole? ——— How to Reduce Crime CCTV has been slow to be accepted by the United States but has become quite common and embraced in other parts of the world over the last several decades already. •
In the UK, there are approximately 5.2 million surveillance cameras, or 1 camera per every 13 people, leading to an average rate of 13% decline in crime in areas with CCTV compared to areas without.
For the handful (and growing) number of American cities that have implemented a comprehensive system of surveillance cameras, the return on the investment has already proven to be more than worthwhile. Orange County, NJ reported a 50% drop in crimes of all types. A community group in Baltimore, MD