Louise Cottrill
FROM the engine room on a 35-metre yacht to the elephant house at a local safari park, MallorcaCCTV have installed surveillance systems in every corner of the island.
The local CCTV company have been installing custom surveillance system in Mallorca homes and businesses for four years.
In the past 18 months they have seen a large increase in country villa installations, with many owners calling after a burglary.
Mary MacDonald is one of many who have called the popular surveillance company for custom installations.
“We live in the UK and spend most of the summer out here near Sa Pobla in our country house. After three break-ins occurred in two months, it was most definitely time to install security cameras,” she told the Olive Press.
“It’s incredible, wherever I am in the world I can see my house in Mallorca, day and night, inside and out. I simply feel safer.”
In January, the National Police arrested 36 burglars in Palma after a string of home and retail break-ins swept through the capital city.
That was just the start to this year’s high theft and burglary rates. Crimes are occurring not only in tourist cities, but in private homes in smaller villages and rural areas. Many inner island villages have seen an increase in trespassing and robberies.
“In the past eight months over half of our new clients have come to us after a break-in at their home or business,” according to Wayne Purdham, who founded the company with partner Lee Bourke.
When burglars are scouting a potential job, seeing cameras, or even just the camera’s warning signs, is a large deterrent.
“We actually have never had a home broken into once cameras are installed, as far as we are aware,” Wayne said of their customers.
“We’ve sent footage to the police of incidents that occurred on the streets outside that we caught on camera, but thieves themselves tend to walk away when they spot the cameras.”
Most homes in Mallorca use the cameras to keep an eye on children, gardeners or employees. They have also saved a few homeowners when winter storms come and they are abroad.
“You can catch a broken window or burst pipe from anywhere in the world,” Wayne said of the extra benefits of cameras.
With today’s technology, camera systems are tailored to individual needs, and are able to record and livestream.
MallorcaCCTV’s camera systems will lower the risk of being burgled, but if that happens there is evidence to help snare the perpetrators.
There is also the chance of catching something on camera that will win some cash on ITV’s You’ve Been Framed!.
