Since 2008, the Municipality of Eslov in Skane, Sweden has suffered from high levels of arson.
Dealing with fires and repairing the damage caused by these crimes has cost the Municipality roughly 100 million Swedish Kronor during the intervening period, a huge amount of money for the local authority to fund.
The Municipality estimates that, altogether, no less than 4,500 square metres of property have been destroyed, including a school, a sports centre and a children’s nursery.
There was an urgent need to prevent this devastation to the area but, due to local legislation, the Municipality could only monitor two metres from the front of each property, so conventional surveillance cameras were not an option for security.
Preventing vandalism and arson attacks
The Municipality of Eslov needed to prevent vandalism and arson attacks, and make fast intervention possible if incidents did occur. Identification of the perpetrators was not the main motivator for the installation of surveillance: it was needed for the early detection and prevention of crimes.
That being the case, the Municipality contacted Axis Communications’ partner ComTech Group, who duly recommended the installation of Axis’ Q1910-E thermal network cameras which would be directly linked to an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC).
In this case, the cameras act as sensors to detect activity rather than a tool for identifying individuals. This solution means that the Municipality can easily monitor locations at high risk of vandalism or arson without revealing the identity of individuals using those areas.
There are now a total of 23 cameras mounted on seven buildings in the Municipality.
The Municipality of Eslov has invested in this surveillance solution to stop arson and other acts of vandalism, saving money and preventing disruption to the lives of residents.
The system is seen as a preventative measure, allowing the detection of potential incidents before they cause a problem.
The Municipality of Eslov is monitoring the success of the investment and, if the current trend continues, will build on the surveillance solution it has in place and continue to include thermal technology.
Thermal sensors as a preventative measure
In order to protect the Municipality of Eslov, the network thermal cameras are monitoring high risk areas 24 hours a day throughout the year.
The images are monitored in real-time at the ARC, which means the Municipality has no need to store and review the footage themselves.
The thermal camera footage is monitored at the ARC, indicating if large groups are assembling in at-risk locations, potentially giving rise to an incident.
In order to improve the performance of the cameras, vegetation has been cut back to enhance visibility and to make monitoring these areas easier.
The Axis cameras have loudspeakers attached, allowing security personnel at the ARC to inform assembled groups that they are under surveillance (and which has been proven to be a very effective deterrent).
Security officers sent to site
When necessary, the ARC will send security officers to the area to speak to the people and ensure all is well at the location.
The guarding company can act to prevent incidents, as the system detects potential problems at an early stage, giving the officers the advantage of being prepared for the situation.
It also allows the officers to feel safer in their work, knowing that they will be closely monitored.
Lars Andersson (property manager, service and technology in the Municipality of Eslov) said: “We have lost enough. Many important buildings in Eslov have been burned to the ground. Norrevangshallen, where the majority of the local sports clubs were housed, was a hard blow to take.”
He continued: “Calculations have shown that 1,500 people were affected by this incident within 24 hours of the arson attack. The pressure to act increased after this incident.”
In conclusion, Andersson stated: “We hope that the monitoring efforts will help us to manage the problems and to create a more secure environment for our residents. We consider the project to be an investment for the future.”
Advanced technology for demanding environments
The Axis Q1910-E is “the first network-based thermal camera in the world” and can detect people from up to 200 metres away and vehicles at up to 550 metres.
These cameras are tamper proof and have a sabotage alarm (along with a motion detection function that’s extremely appropriate for the application discussed here).
The cameras are purpose-designed for operation in demanding conditions, operating in darkness, mist and smoke without being affected by laser beams or bright light. They’re also suitable for all kinds of outdoor surveillance.
As stated, the Municipality of Eslov uses 23 thermal cameras as sensors, mounted across seven locations.
Hans-Erik Jonsson, fire engineer in the Municipality of Eslov, explained: “The installation with network-based thermal sensors saves time and money, as it is possible to simultaneously monitor several objects.”
He added: “The Municipality of Eslov has a large area to cover, which would be very costly with a conventional video surveillance solution. It was not by chance that we chose the Axis thermal camera. It could offer the most cost-effective solution for our needs.”
The Axis Q1910-E thermal metwork cameras support ONVIF (the Open Network Video Interface Forum), which makes it compatible with other network video products.
‘Ear to the Ground’
In order to strengthen security further, the Municipality of Eslov has recently initiated a community co-operation project called ‘Ear to the Ground’.
Inspired by a similar project in the Rosengard district of Malmo, ‘Ear to the Ground’ aims to create a long-term secure environment in Eslov.
As part of the initiative, the Municipality meets with the rescue service, the social services, security companies and the police once a week to discuss the local situation, exchange experiences and ensure resources are focused exactly where they need to be.
So far, the response from the participants in the project has been very positive indeed.
In addition to this project, the Municipality also has a good relationship with local businesses, working in partnership to enhance security in Eslov.
These two programmes have resulted in quicker response times to security crises. Previously, incidents weren’t resolved quickly and security measures could be delayed for several weeks, occasionally even months.
Today, incidents are checked and processed within a week from when they happened.
Hans-Erik Jonsson, fire engineer in the Municipality of Eslov, explained: “We already feel that the project has had a positive effect in the Municipality. The recent Autumn holiday was the first for many years when there were no incidents caused by youth gangs in the Municipality.”