There have been some incredible examples of criminal capers being caught on CCTV. Some include dumb criminals getting it terribly wrong and being caught right away, others include unbelievable bravery from the public when thwarting robberies, and some are just so OTT and crazy that you just have to watch them again to believe they really happened. Whether the criminals got away with the crime or not, few can argue that CCTV has gone a long way to help police bring justice to people who want to break the law, and give a little reassurance to the home and business owners who come across these criminals.
Here are some incredible examples where CCTV has picked up crimes. Some are small, some are large, some are just downright ridiculous:
Smash and Grab for an ATM
The two criminals somehow manage to pull off their heist of a gas store in America, where they use their truck to carry away the ATM machine that was inside. Although it is a successful heist for them, it is a pretty clumsy attempt at the perfect crime. It takes the pair far more effort than it should. It’s unknown whether or not they were caught, but the way in which they pulled off the heist, it seems pretty doubtful.
Using CCTV to Beat The Burglars
Here is an incredible example of how effective CCTV can be in thwarting criminals. A pretty amazing case of a play-by-play from the States, the lady whose house is being burgled makes a tearful and fearful call to the police as she watches the intruders enter her home on her security system. It must have been pretty harrowing to watch, but the good news is that there is a happy ending, as police enter the premises at the end and catch the intruders red handed.
The Wheelie Bin Cat Lady
The RSPCA were not very happy to hear of four year old tabby Lola’s ordeal of being put into a wheelie bin in Coventry in England by a local woman. The owner of the cat had installed cameras for security reasons, and when he heard his cat crying from inside the wheelie bin, he quickly checked the feed to see how Lola had got in there. He was horrified to find that a woman had planted the poor cat inside, and after a police investigation, the woman was fined £250 for her moment of madness.
Wheelchair Hero Foils Robbery
Wheelchair-bound Vancouver native Larry Skopnik was quickly named a hero after CCTV footage of him foiling a robbery of a convenience store was released to the public and media. In an incredible showing of bravery, Larry jumps out of his wheelchair at one point after trying to corner the robber. Many people would have kept well back and done nothing, but it is nothing short of inspirational that Mr Skopnik had the courage to pin down the robber until the police arrived, with the help of other customers in the store.
James is a huge fan of CCTV footage and loves to write about famous examples. He works with www.all-in-one.co.uk to enable all business owners to get the highest quality security products they need.