High-tech cameras helping catch criminals

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Criminals beware: A new breed of security cameras are now watching your every move. The latest in hi-tech security is making its way into airports, banks, even convenience stores.

You could say the security level at the Buc-ee's in Bastrop is like Fort Knox.

"We have about 200 camera in this store," Buc-ee's general manager John Taylor said.

Taylor has been using the new Avigilon Security System in this 25,000-square foot store for three months now.

"We can track anyone from the time they enter the parking lot to the time they leave," Taylor said.

The difference with these hi-tech cameras?

"A customer will pay for a purchase and they think they used a larger bill then they did. With this system, you can see exactly what they paid," Taylor said.

By zooming into currency, faces -- even license plates -- Avigilon tells us the secret is in something called high-definition stream management. Similar to Google Maps, it allows you to zoom in closely with minimal pixelation, making analog security systems a thing of the past.

"And then watch these stores from my cell phone," Buc-ee's district manager Bill Pitocco said.

Pitocco says the mobility platform allows him to tap into any camera and any store at any time.

"If I'm at my home in the evening and somebody says something going on, I can just pull this up and watch," he said.

The system has already been put to good use.

Taylor tells us someone left the store without paying. They were able to see what the individual ordered from the bakery, the goods they stole from the store, the car they were driving and the license plate number.

These systems are being used in 80 different countries around the world. Here in Texas, Love Field in Dallas is going through some major renovations and the Avigilon Security System is part of that.
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