Security - Police install cameras to combat crime
Saxony's police are expanding their video surveillance in the fight against crime in the border region. Seven camera columns were installed in Zittau on Friday. The police refer to the technology as a video-based person identification system (PerIS). It has been in use in the state since 2019. It can now also be used to record and identify criminals in Zittau in high resolution day and night and in all weathers, explained Interior Minister Armin Schuster (CDU) in a press release. "I am not aware of a comparably powerful system, at least not in Europe, and the success of the investigations so far speaks for itself."
With the existing system in Görlitz - which comprises ten camera columns and two mobile devices - a total of 931 "procedurally relevant hits" have been achieved since 2019, according to the statement. The trend is clearly rising. In 2023 alone, there were 375 such hits. "The focus of the crimes is on property offenses. For example, high-value bicycles were regularly taken over the Old Town Bridge after particularly serious cases of theft," the ministry said. The property damage caused by this in Görlitz is estimated at EUR 230,000 in a single quarter in 2022. With "PerIS", it was possible to solve a large number of the crimes.
According to the ministry, the video system has also been used for other crimes, including so-called grandchild fraud, robbery and drug offenses. In total, crimes with a total loss of more than 10 million euros have been solved so far.
The acquisition costs for the new system in Zittau are well over one million euros. Added to this are the costs for the necessary electricity and fiber optic network - around 460,000 euros. "This investment is money well spent for the safety of us all," said Petric Kleine, police inspector. This will specifically help to strengthen the sense of security of the people in the border region.
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- The border region, specifically Zittau, will benefit from Saxony's police force expanding their video surveillance, as demonstrated by the successful use of the PerIS system in Görlitz, which has resulted in over 900 "procedurally relevant hits" since 2019, predominantly for property offenses.
- Despite the significant investment of over one million euros for the new system in Zittau, along with additional costs for electricity and fiber optic network, Petric Kleine, the police inspector, believes it to be a worthwhile expense in ensuring the safety of the community, particularly in the border region.
- While the technology initially gained attention for its ability to combat property crimes, it has also proven to be useful in solving various other crimes, including grandchild fraud, robbery, and drug offenses, resulting in the resolution of crimes totaling over 10 million euros.
- Armin Schuster, the Interior Minister of Saxony's CDU, lauded the success of the PerIS system in Görlitz and its potential in Zittau, stating that it is "not aware of a comparably powerful system, at least not in Europe," and emphasizing that the system's effectiveness has been evident in the outcomes of investigations.
Source: www.stern.de
