Shoplifters beware, retailers are spending a bundle on surveillance equipment

[Kristijntje]

With $30 billion in theft, there's a revolution in surveillance systems

There are 6 million video cameras mounted in stores across the U.S...But you probably had no idea how smart some of these cameras are getting.

Some Macy's (FD ), CVS (CVS ), and Babies 'R' Us stores have installed a system called the Video Investigator, whose advanced surveillance software can compare a shopper's movements between video images and recognize unusual activity. Remove 10 items from a shelf at once, for instance, or open a case that's normally kept closed and locked, and the system alerts guards sitting in a back room -- or pacing the sales floor -- with a chime or flashing screen. The system can predict where a shoplifter is likely to hide (at the ends of aisles, behind floor displays). A search function spots sudden movement that might indicate a large spill, prompting workers to clean up before it leads to a slip-and-fall accident and a costly lawsuit. And if someone opens a back door at 2 a.m., the system will record who sneaked in and link it with snapshots of the previous and next persons to use the door. Alerts, complete with images, can be sent to handheld devices, keeping retailers informed 24/7...

full article: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/con...tm?chan=tc&campaign_id=bier_tcst0