Windsor police are launching a security camera registry, a move to a local business owner is commending after his bakery was robbed earlier this year.
Police are asking residents and businesses in Windsor and Amherstburg to register their cameras to help police with investigations.
The program is voluntary, so signing up doesn’t give police the rights or privilege to your security camera. There is a protocol in place to gain access to the footage.
“We still need to make contact with that person and get their permission for any video surveillance that they may have captured,” said Constable Talya Natyshak
Police can’t watch your cameras live feed, but will build a list of camera locations as a starting point to investigate.
“Really looking for video cameras, driving around in back alleys. Maybe it’s dark, maybe we miss a camera that was actually there,” Natyshak explained.
Camera information is valuable and helped officers during a recent incident near Sweet Revenge Bake Shop on Erie Street near Mercer Street.
“On Mercer Street here, there was an assault and I had an officer come in coz he saw our camera and asked to see the footage,” owner Alex Lakhoian said. “We were able to get a copy of the footage and a complete recollection of what happened.”
Lakhoian said he will be signing up for the registry.
His bakery was robbed in January and a fellow tenant was victimized.
“Criminals come from different areas and it helps piece things together of where they were coming from,” Lakhoian said. “Yeah, maybe it wouldn’t have helped prevent the crime but it could have helped find the people who did the crime.”
Those looking to register can do so in the online reporting section of the Windsor Police Service website. You can opt-out at any time and police never have to visit a home.
“It’s just a matter of us sending a link and they can send that video directly to us,” Natyshak said. “So it’s extremely quick and streamlined for us now and it’s going to be a huge step.”