Crime & Safety

Los Gatos Police Ask Residents to Register Surveillance Video Systems

Department working with local residents to compile list of privately owned security video footage to enhance crime prevention.

Los Gatos-Monte Sereno police are asking residents and business owners to register their video surveillance cameras with the Police Department so that investigators can review their video footage in the event of a nearby crime.

The effort is part of a new program started by the department called Los Gatos On Watch. Its goal is crime reduction through video tools to aid in investigations and deter criminals, according to police.

Surveillance cameras have helped police all over the country crack crimes ranging from burglaries to homicides, and Los Gatos-Monte Sereno police hope to use the community's cameras to solve local crimes, police said.

A resident's surveillance system assisted police in finding a vehicle associated with a home burglary that occurred on Feb. 8 on Vista Del Monte in Los Gatos, police said.

The most helpful surveillance camera systems have a minimum resolution of 720p and enough memory to hold several days' worth of images, but a lower-resolution camera would still be of assistance, according to police.

Residents and business owners who register their surveillance systems with the Police Department are being asked to position their cameras to record activity on the street and around front doors, police said.

Residents of Los Gatos and Monte Sereno may register their camera system with police online at www.joinonwatch.com or by contacting the department at 408-354-6853.

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