Video surveillance catches criminals

Video surveillance catches criminals
Holly Meyer Journal staff Rapid City Journal

Sylvester “Beaver” Pacheco is serving a 45-year sentence at the South Dakota State Penitentiary thanks largely to a video surveillance system at a Rapid City casino.

Not all the surveillance cameras in Rapid City’s video lottery casinos and convenience stores do as good a job as those that captured Pacheco in the act, according to the Rapid City Police Department, which has been working with businesses to improve the quality of their surveillance systems.

“We’ve really struggled in the past when we were still using a VHS, running tapes over and over again,” said Capt. Doug Thrash, who commands the department’s criminal investigations division. “The quality was terrible. It was so bad that it was worthless.”

Effective video surveillance, on the other hand, can often make the difference when prosecuting criminals for robberies and burglaries, he said.

“It may not break the case open, but it sure opens another door,” Thrash said.

In the case of the 38-year-old Pacheco, video played a crucial role in his arrest, conviction and lengthy prison sentence.

In late May, he robbed his first Rapid City casino. The next day, he hit a second one. Clerks described the suspect to police, but the most useful evidence was provided by the video surveillance system at Jokers Casino on Mount Rushmore Road, which is where the second robbery occurred.

Police released the video to the public and within days Pacheco, a convicted felon, was identified and arrested.

In addition to identifying him, police were able to see what Pacheco touched inside the casino, dust that space and find fingerprints, Thrash said. Without the video surveillance, the crime still might be unsolved, he added.

After a surge of crimes at casinos about three years ago, the police department started giving casino and convenience store owners guidelines for digital surveillance systems, Thrash said.

Those guidelines focus on picture quality, how long video is stored, how easily it can be exported from the system for use and whether third parties – investigators, attorneys and courts – can easily view the video.

“There is a lot of improvement," Thrash said. "I think it is something with our culture now, people expect to see the video.”

The police department recommends videos be retained for 31 days and encourages businesses to install systems that automatically transfer the video to an off-site storage or at least hide it on site to prevent tampering, Thrash said.

In the case of Jokers Casino, owner ISIS Hospitality had spent thousands of dollars upgrading surveillance systems at all its establishments in the Black Hills after the same casino was robbed several times, said Caleb Arceneaux, the company’s chief executive officer. The new system improved the image quality and added more cameras.

“It’s getting better every year, every month, every day. We need to keep up with those emerging technologies,” Arceneaux said. “It’s a worthy investment.”

Rapid City-based Golden West Technologies & Internet Solutions works with the police department to help educate customers on what systems and camera placement would effectively solve crimes, according to James Van Loan, a sales manager with the company.

“You just have to start with an evaluation and set your goals and work with organizations that help with more customizable solutions,” Van Loan said.

Cameras can range from about $300 up to $2,000 each depending on the quality and zooming capabilities, Van Loan said.

Business owners may choose a mix of cameras and point the pricier ones at the more potentially volatile locations, such as the cash registers. Instead of buying one expensive camera, business owners also will opt for several low-cost cameras and position them to cover more angles, he said.

The cost can dissuade businesses from investing in a surveillance system, which is why a consultation includes a discussion of low-cost security measures like replacing locks, improving lighting and looking at what behaviors the business owner is trying to prevent, Van Loan said.

Surveillance footage from a January armed robbery proved that businesses are installing better systems that work for law enforcement.

A man walked into the Loaf ’N Jug on West Main Street on Jan. 14 and while making no attempt to conceal his identity brandished a handgun and demanded money.

Five days later, 26-year-old Robert White Janis of Rapid City was arrested by Nebraska authorities and identified as the suspect in the robbery. The store’s surveillance system captured the crime and the suspect’s face in clear, bright video.

“I’ve never seen a video come out that nice,” Thrash said. “That is the home run.”

But even if a suspect covers his face, the video can still be useful.

Last July, video surveillance once again helped police nab a serial business burglar. This time, Jason Edwards’ mannerisms and an attempt to conceal an arm tattoo gave him away. The Rapid City man was in custody about a week after police released a video. Edwards is now serving a 29-year prison sentence.

“That allowed us to move the investigation. We may not have had that as soon or if ever without that break,” Thrash said.



Read more: http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/video-surveillance-catches-criminals/article_b5f05970-64e3-11e1-8929-0019bb2963f4.html#ixzz1o9vdM2F1