The National Association of Convenience Stores has reported that gas retailers lost $234 million in fuel thefts in 2004, more than double the amount in 2003. The annual loss averaged $2,141 per store. This amount is expected to double again in 2005 due to increasing fuel prices.

Requiring customers to prepay before pumping would prevent fuel theft, but many retailers oppose this option because it discourages drivers from entering the store to purchase more profitable items.

Some retailers may not feel a need for surveillance due to low theft rates in their area, but as more stores begin to install these systems or require prepayment, thieves will travel into areas that they see as easy targets.

Catching drive-away thieves is difficult. In most stores just obtaining a license plate number can prove difficult especially when attendants are distracted by other customers. Even if an attendant is able to record a license plate number, proof of who the driver of the vehicle was is required in order to prosecute. In most cases that go to court there is little success in prosecuting without a photo of the driver.

Another benefit is that most insurance providers will offer substantial discounts on premiums for stores with surveillance systems.

IP Surveillance is a system which gives the user the ability to monitor and record video over an IP (Internet Protocol) network. Unlike analog or “Closed Circuit” video systems, network video uses a computer network, rather than point-to-point cabling, as the backbone for transporting information. In a network video application, digitized video streams are transferred to any location in the world via a wired or wireless IP network, enabling video monitoring and recording from anywhere on the network. All of this can be accomplished using a standard PC.

If we analyze the costs of the hardware (cameras, cables, and recording) an IP Surveillance system will compare quite favorably to an analog system. If we then add in the installation cost component, the advantages become obvious. IP systems use considerable less expensive cabling than analog systems. In addition IP systems can use power over Ethernet technology, which provides power to the cameras using the same cable as the signal connection. This saves on the cost of running additional power lines to each of the cameras. If pan, tilt and zoom cameras or audio is required, additional lines must also be run for these functions with analog systems. These additional lines are not necessary with network cameras.

Advanced network cameras have built in motion detection and alarm management that lets you program when to send video and at what frame rate and resolution. What’s more, network cameras can integrate input and output signals such as alarms and controlling locks.

IP network cameras use a progressive scan to capture images instead of the interlaced method found in analog CCTV cameras. With progressive scan all images are captured at the same time, enabling moving images to be presented without distortion.

This is not true. An installation with fully functioning and paid for analog cameras is not a barrier to utilizing superior IP Surveillance technology. We can provide you with a video server that converts the analog video signal into a digitized video stream, basically converting any analog camera into a network camera. In fact, most IP Surveillance installs today have a combination of analog and network cameras. (See the Comparison)

We purchase our network video equipment and software from AXIS Communications, the leader in network video. AXIS invented and launched the first network camera back in 1996 and today has more than 400,000 professional network video installations worldwide.