<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>Sales of CCTV cameras, alarms jump
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>More residents fear crime, loan sharks during tough times </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Leow Si Wan
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HDB flat owners mainly bought CCTV cameras for surveillance, while private property owners preferred to buy intrusion alarms. -- TNP FILE PHOTO
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->SECURITY-CONSCIOUS Singaporeans are snapping up closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and alarm systems.
A check with 14 security providers showed that sales of such devices had increased by 15 per cent to 50 per cent over the past year.
Vendors say the fear of more break-ins and loan shark-related vandalism during the economic recession were the main reasons for the spike in demand.
Mirroring this are figures from the police, which showed that residential break-ins had risen more than 10 per cent - from 93 to 105 cases - for the first three months of this year, compared to last year.
Police also received nearly 4,000 complaints of loan shark harassment - including splashing of paint or writing on walls - in the first three months of this year, up from 2,066 complaints in the same period last year.
Due to this, police are increasing the number of CCTV cameras in housing estates.
Said Mr Tan Hock Guan, the owner of alarm systems firm Secuhub Technologies: 'I have been receiving enquiries from HDB flat owners who want to install cameras along the corridors because of loan shark harassment cases.'
Added Mr Gary Tan, owner of security products firm Efficient Systems: 'In the past, there were rarely calls from home owners. But now, out of every 10 calls we get, half are from this group.'
Mr Charles Lim, country manager of ADT Security, whose sales to home owners had risen 30 per cent over the past six months, said the increase in the number of break-ins had made home owners more aware of home security.
Sales of surveillance systems, he said, had also gone up because home owners were now willing to invest to monitor their children and maids.
Earlier this month, an Indonesian maid was jailed for nine months after she was caught ill- treating her employer's infant son. The parents had installed a CCTV system in the living room and saw the abuse of the 21/2-year-old.
Vendors such as Mr Tony Toh, owner of 3S Integration, said the increase in demand for CCTV cameras came mostly from HDB flat dwellers, while private property owners tended to buy intrusion alarm systems.
These devices can cost between $1,000 and more than $100,000, depending on the size of the home and the owner's requirements.
One of Mr Toh's customers, Mrs Julie Tan, 31, installed two CCTV cameras last year, one along the corridor and another in her living room, after her door was splashed with red paint. She spent about $1,200 in surveillance equipment.
She said: 'We suspected it was a loan shark who got the wrong address.
'I have three children and elderly parents at home, so I decided to get cameras for my peace of mind.
'I also have a maid, so it is just as well that I can monitor her activities.' [email protected]
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>More residents fear crime, loan sharks during tough times </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Leow Si Wan
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --><TR vAlign=bottom><TD width=330>
</TD><TD width=10>
HDB flat owners mainly bought CCTV cameras for surveillance, while private property owners preferred to buy intrusion alarms. -- TNP FILE PHOTO
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->SECURITY-CONSCIOUS Singaporeans are snapping up closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and alarm systems.
A check with 14 security providers showed that sales of such devices had increased by 15 per cent to 50 per cent over the past year.
Vendors say the fear of more break-ins and loan shark-related vandalism during the economic recession were the main reasons for the spike in demand.
Mirroring this are figures from the police, which showed that residential break-ins had risen more than 10 per cent - from 93 to 105 cases - for the first three months of this year, compared to last year.
Police also received nearly 4,000 complaints of loan shark harassment - including splashing of paint or writing on walls - in the first three months of this year, up from 2,066 complaints in the same period last year.
Due to this, police are increasing the number of CCTV cameras in housing estates.
Said Mr Tan Hock Guan, the owner of alarm systems firm Secuhub Technologies: 'I have been receiving enquiries from HDB flat owners who want to install cameras along the corridors because of loan shark harassment cases.'
Added Mr Gary Tan, owner of security products firm Efficient Systems: 'In the past, there were rarely calls from home owners. But now, out of every 10 calls we get, half are from this group.'
Mr Charles Lim, country manager of ADT Security, whose sales to home owners had risen 30 per cent over the past six months, said the increase in the number of break-ins had made home owners more aware of home security.
Sales of surveillance systems, he said, had also gone up because home owners were now willing to invest to monitor their children and maids.
Earlier this month, an Indonesian maid was jailed for nine months after she was caught ill- treating her employer's infant son. The parents had installed a CCTV system in the living room and saw the abuse of the 21/2-year-old.
Vendors such as Mr Tony Toh, owner of 3S Integration, said the increase in demand for CCTV cameras came mostly from HDB flat dwellers, while private property owners tended to buy intrusion alarm systems.
These devices can cost between $1,000 and more than $100,000, depending on the size of the home and the owner's requirements.
One of Mr Toh's customers, Mrs Julie Tan, 31, installed two CCTV cameras last year, one along the corridor and another in her living room, after her door was splashed with red paint. She spent about $1,200 in surveillance equipment.
She said: 'We suspected it was a loan shark who got the wrong address.
'I have three children and elderly parents at home, so I decided to get cameras for my peace of mind.
'I also have a maid, so it is just as well that I can monitor her activities.' [email protected]