"There is a lot of locations that we have them in now where only one person works on a shift. It's almost like having a second person there all the time," says Mike White, service manager with Central Monitoring in Albany.
"They're becoming more affordable. You can get a small, basic system now for about $1,500 to $2,000 completely installed," he says.
From auto thefts to bank robberies, surveillance cameras have the ability to capture crimes from start to finish. But as new technologies emerge, so does the quality of picture.
"They're all high definition, high resolution cameras. They can play just like a DVR plays now at your home. It's a much better picture quality," says White.
Just last year, surveillance video aided police in the arrest of two women dubbed the "Barbie Bandits" for their role in the robbery of a Bank of America in Acworth. Banks, however, are required to have security cameras installed. But some business, whether they be restaurants or convenience stores, don't have them in place. And while some experts say cameras don't necessarily deter crime, the evidence gathered on film can be critical during an investigation.
White says, "It's good for the police to have a good video tape or a DVR that they can go back to in order to identify the people."
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