Motion sensors, CCTV cameras, alarm systems, and other surveillance tools have revolutionized how museums and valuable artworks are safeguarded. The question now is, are they enough? As groundbreaking as these technologies are, how effective are they without security guards? Read on to find out.
Motion sensors do not protect against careless visitors
Motion sensors are placed around artworks and they send out an alarm when someone is tampering with, say, a painting. While this protects the valuables from theft, it does little to safeguard them from careless visitors. For example, a group of young schoolchildren posed for a picture and one of them mistakenly leaned against the canvas. The alarm went off, but the damage was already done. With multiple guards manning each floor, the instance above can be easily prevented.
Surveillance footage alone is not enough
CCTV cameras can be programmed to provide 24/7 surveillance of every part of a museum. However, for the footage to be useful, a security guard needs to be in front of the display round-the-clock with other guards ready for quick deployment. Without constant scrutiny, recorded footage can only provide evidence after-the-fact, they cannot prevent theft or vandalism.
Every security system has loopholes
Even though human beings are not as efficient as technological systems, these systems also have loopholes. For example, a burglar was able to outsmart the security system at a popular museum by waiting until they were turned off when the cleaners were working. If that museum had combined surveillance systems with manned security guards, they could have avoided losing valuables worth millions of dollars.
Be it at a museum, a commercial building, or a shopping mall, surveillance systems are only as effective as the security guards that monitor them. For professional security services in Texas, contact Western Eagle Security at 281-496-6800.