CCTV installed at Sheffield pensioner’s home after being scammed by rogue builders

The installation of CCTV cameras comes after the pensioner was ripped-off to the tune of £30,000

 
A pensioner in Sheffield has been ripped-off by “despicable” rogue traders, who took the 84-year-old for £30,000 – CCTV cameras have now been installed at the victim’s home.

The elderly man, from Ecclesall, was so scared of being a burden to his family, that he kept the scam to himself.

The men responsible have never been caught and are still out there.

Rogue traders scam pensioner in Ecclesall, Sheffield to the total of £30,000 – CCTV cameras now installed at his home © Copyright Neil Theasby and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

Diane Scarr, the victim’s niece is warning others, particularly the elderly, to stay vigilant and keep safe in their home.

The pensioner opened his door to a stranger who said his property needed some repair work doing to it. He agreed to only having a bit of work done to the brickwork and driveway. The rogue builders then demanded £4,000 cash from him.

He withdrew money from one bank account and then went into Sheffield city centre to take the rest out but had a fall and was taken to hospital.

It was only at this point his family found out what had been happening.

When they checked his bank statements, the family discovered that the scam had been going on for five to six years.

Numerous substandard jobs had been carried out on the victim’s home over this period and in total, the pensioner had paid the rogue builders £30,000 in cash.

The pensioners bank did become suspicious, as he would turn up at the bank with someone else. They gave the 84-year-old leaflets about fraud but he was so scared he continued to pay the conmen.

The family reported the whole scam to Trading Standards, who spoke with him and put safety measures in place at the pensioners home, including CCTV cameras.

Please click here to find out more about our CCTV installation, repairs and maintenance services in Sheffield. Our expert installers will design and fit the right CCTV system at your home or business premises to suit your specific security requirements.

Do CCTV cameras record sound?

There exists some uncertainty surrounding CCTV cameras and whether they can record sound.

The majority of CCTV cameras are not capable of audio recording, however, some cameras do have a built-in microphone or a built-in audio input, to which a microphone can be connected.

CCTV cameras which simultaneously record audio and video are rather unpopular. This is mainly due to two reasons.

The first is that the extra technology involved increases the cost of the CCTV equipment and many people can not justify the extra spend. The second reason is more complicated and is related to data protection and human rights laws.

Although audio recording is used legally on a daily basis by some businesses (I.e. call centres), CCTV audio recording is a fraught issue and you should first understand the regulations before installing audio recording equipment in your business place or in the grounds of your home.

The Technology

Both analog and IP cameras are available to purchase with audio recording capabilities.

• Analog – the audio input (microphone) is directly connected to the DVR. The audio information is digitalised and transmitted to the DVR (digital video recorder), where it is then available for hearing.
• IP – the audio input is transmitted to the IP Camera where it is digitalised. The audio information is then transmitted to the NVR (network video recorder).

The number of microphones installed on a system depends on different factors for both analog and IP cameras. For analog, it depends on how many audio input connections the DVR has; for IP, it depends on the number of video channels on the NVR, and whether each IP camera has its own microphone.

The Legalities

The issue of CCTV audio recording is discussed in the Information Commissioner’s Office’s (ICO’s) Surveillance Camera Code of Practice.

There are strict guidelines surrounding its use. Business owners and homeowners found to have used audio recording in an incorrect manner could find themselves on the wrong side of the Right to Privacy section of the Human Rights Act 1998.

The following is taken from the ICO’s Code of Practice:

“The use of audio recording, particularly where it is continuous, will, in most situations, be considered more privacy intrusive than purely visual recording. Its use will therefore require much greater justification.”

If you are considering CCTV installation with audio capabilities, we commend you contact ICO; they will tell you exactly what you need to do in order to remain lawful.

If you would like our help with your CCTV requirements, please click here for more info.