Are Gatsos now being watched?
Scamera torchings prompt CCTV strike-back
 Gatso and back of 50mph sign  Unusually thick 50mph sign  Is this a camera aperture? |
The recent spate of speed camera torchings appears to have led to the authorities striking back.
Somerset's speed camera planters have installed what looks like a covert spy camera to frustrate the vandals, as the much-damaged speed camera at Pylle, on the southern side of the A37 near Shepton Mallet, has acquired not one but two interesting neighbours.
There's an unexplained blue box that appeared just behind the speed camera last year, according to a local newspaper. Now some believe that the 50mph speed sign that backs on to the camera may conceal a tiny camera of its own, able to capture images of anyone bent on criminal damage.
The back of the speed sign appears thicker than usual, with what could be a camera lens in a convenient position to observe the speed camera and anyone near it.
There's also what appears to a wire leading into the pole holding up the sign, and it could connect the camera with the blue box.
The Avon and Somerset Safety Camera Partnership, which installs and manages speed cameras, has already denied all knowledge of the blue box or its function.
And the covert camera claim provoked a very similar response this week.
Partnership boss Dave Golliker said: "I have no idea what you are talking about." However, Golliker said: "I'll get someone to investigate. He will visit the site and then will report back."
Across the road from the speed sign, speed camera and blue box is the Fosseway Garage in Pylle. Garage manager Brian Upshall said a new speed camera had been installed last week, but he has not seen any unusual activity around the 50mph sign or blue box.
He said: "The blue box was put in a few months ago. No one seems to know what's going on about the speed camera. It's very secretive."
Asked about cameras spying on cameras, an Association of British Drivers spokesman said: "While speed cameras often have a notice saying they are connected to a central alarm system, it is the first time we've heard of anything like this."
Picture and story by Mid-Somerset Newspapers
P'raps they'll resort to watching scameras via Google Earth next !!!
I will be inspecting those in my local area for the same thing, expanding building foam might need to be purchased!
I'd presume the insurers would be getting cold feet if camera sites were repeatdly targeted. Which would be a shame.
If insurance was going to be too hard to come by, and looking at the cost per replacement, I could see massive dents being put into the partnership budgets were there to be a proper campaign against the cameras.
Let's hope that never happens.
Let's march to Trafalgar Square and have a huge demonstration/riot to show our disdain for this Government's ever increasing Big Brother tactics!!!!
Next they will be putting trackers in our cars, pretending it is part of some kind of "Road Pricing Scheme", ultimately using the system to issue speeding and parking fines etc.
Come on Britain, we have a backbone and a voice and we need to sound off about this, but I can't do it on my own and we can't change a thing by just sitting on our a*sses.
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff