There is no rule that says that gas stations have to keep footage for some days. It all depends on certain conditions like the cost of keeping it for those days or longer than the days. If the gas station can afford an extended period, then, it is up to them.
However, the question is, how long do gas stations keep security footage?
Gas stations keep their security footage for a minimum of 7 days and a maximum of 8 weeks depending on the storage capacity of the camera, the DVR or external servers, and how long the gas stations feel they want the footage to be stored.
There is a cost that goes with keeping footage for long periods, and it isn’t so cheap, being that this is a computer age where everyone goes for quality over quantity.
Gas stations keep security footage for a minimum of seven days because of possibly an extended cost that may be attached to an extended period of recording more footage. And if the gas station wants, they can extend it to 2 to 8 weeks.
Do Gas Stations Keep Surveillance Tapes?
Gas stations keep surveillance tapes as evidence in case there are any irregular activities in and around the station. Since the tapes are stored, they can be pulled at any time and be used for evidence or t locate and track someone.
Gas station robberies have become very rampant in recent years, and as a result, tapes have been used to record their activities. Gas station owners are very much committed to preserving their business and staff in recent times.
The onus of gas station robberies has depreciated on gas owners and the municipal authorities in recent times, thanks to security surveillance tapes. Robberies are no more rampant because of the fear of being discovered in a security camera or a recorded tape somewhere.
Surveillance tapes can be presented as evidence to the respective authorities for prosecution of the culprit’s purposes, whether within your company or from the outside.
Surveillance tapes are recorded events and activities within and around your business. These recorded tapes can put criminals behind bars.
And as such, these tapes can be kept for a period of limited time or can be archived if possible, and it all depends on the gas station owners as they dim fit.
A gas station, in most cases, is a private business and, as such, owes no obligation to any authority whatsoever to keep her surveillance if she doesn’t want to.
They can be archived, especially in cases under any court instruction because of a running or unclosed case in the court, as it may be a gas station owner’s case or a government case.
As far as the order is from a court, the tape has to be kept in whoever’s possession they want it to be presented as evidence when requested.
How Long Do Gas Stations Keep Surveillance Footage?
Gas stations keep their security footage for a minimum of 7 days and a maximum of 2 to 8 weeks depending on the security camera’s storage capability, the DVR or external servers, and how long the gas stations are willing to store the footage before they are deleted.
However, there is no specific amount of time, though, but they work with a minimum of seven days in some cases. There is always an explanation for such limits.
A minimum of seven days is not because it has to be so or that there is a written instruction or an issued statement somewhere, but there are conditions that make it so.
It can be extended if possible to an extended time if only it is a free service and enough storage. Sadly, it is not. But the amazing thing here is one can obtain this security camera footage from gas stations if need be.
However, the financial commitment is just as extendable as the number of days gas stations may want to extend days of keeping surveillance footage except for a low-quality 4mp security camera.
Gas station owners had proven to be quality-worthy when it comes to security surveillance cameras over their business. 8mp cameras were mostly discovered in businesses of this nature because of their clear and epic camera quality. Just as it provides this clear camera beauty that is the same way it is expensive to maintain.
Gas station owners may have wished to extend the days of keeping surveillance footage, but I’m sure they also have a budget in place that can deal a minimum of seven days.
Surveillance footages are off-sites that automatically erase old recordings and have limited storage space, especially with a high-quality camera as 8mp, which clearly exposes everyone and objects.
How Far Back Do Gas Station Cameras Record?
Surveillance cameras in gas stations record 0-50 feet far off. This is because gas stations are mainly concerned with goings and activities in close ranges than far off. As a matter of fact, gas station owners have recorded more in-store theft than outdoors.
It has everything to do with these gas station owner’s preferences because of lessons learned in previous years. A security camera that identifies a close-range motion or portrait cannot evenly see a farther range in the same clarity.
In other words, it is possible to see far off if the gas station owner decides to install two surveillance cameras. One for a close range and another more focused on capturing a farther range.
When it comes to security cameras, anything may be possible because there are different security cameras with multiple functions and features and even for various purposes. A motion surveillance camera may work extensively.
Pros of Security Cameras in Gas Stations
If there is one thing prominent with security cameras in a public place as a gas station is a fear it instills in staff or a customer of not even making a mistake of shoplifting a pen from the station because of the security eyes that watch on the walls and roofs.
It provides swift evidence, and it doesn’t waste time or makes one waste energy and money on investigating unseen cases. It acts as a trusted eye on the business.
Security cameras cannot be falsified in a court of law because of their authenticity until proven otherwise as to be manipulated.
Below are some of the advantages of security cameras in gas stations:
- Instills Fear in Potential Culprit: A potential thief with a weak plan from the home to steal from a gas station may change his mind on the sight of security cameras.
- Cops Assistant: Security cameras in gas stations where robberies often occur can assist the special authorizes responsible for cases as this. Cops assistant is a perfect name for security cameras. It saves the cops talking time and energy to catch the culprits. The cops can either run a data check using facial recognition software on the culprit faces captured by the security camera or print out these faces and declare them wanted. Either way, the stress of searching unendingly for these criminals has been somewhat reduced.
- Serves as a Monitor: If a gas station owner is wise enough to have installed a security detection monitoring camera, it needs not to worry about how the business is running from afar. Cameras like this are designed in most cases to have the ability to be connected to a primary device of a gas station owner, which sends alerts either to the emails or as an alarm to the handy devices to notify them of moving objects on the detection.
Cons of Security Cameras in Gas Stations
A security camera in gas stations isn’t really about apprehending robbers etc.; it is basically about watching out for your business and staff even after the robbers must have done justice to your business and staff.
There can be scenarios where staff is killed or something of high value is stolen, but the confusion that lurks here is if and when the robbers are apprehended, will they bring back this life or even be worth the goods that were stolen by them?
What if they burn up the gas station to destroying evidence that remains? So many unanswered questions in this section that will prove the unimportance of security cameras in gas stations.
Therefore, here are some of the disadvantages of security cameras in gas stations:
- Can’t Stop Theft: Security cameras in gas stations can’t stop theft at all. These thieves may be luckily apprehended only later in the future.
- Waste of Security Commitment: At this point, a gas station owner can spare him/herself the stress of committing to unreliable surveillance and monitoring camera installed in the building.
- It Maybe Insecure and Get Corrupted: Commitment and money should not be placed or budgeted on a device that can be corrupted. Cameras are very much liable to malfunction through natural causes or manipulation.
- Expensive to Maintain: Just as it serves as a waste of commitment, that’s how it serves as a waste of funds. Everyone commits to where their investment is, and in this case, something that sips energy and money in its inefficiencies is an absolute waste of funds.
Conclusion
The usefulness of security cameras on gas stations cannot be over-emphasized. It is perfect for monitoring your business and properties. It may not apprehend a criminal instantly, but it can easily be on the verge of catching the criminals responsible for theft or disruptions in your business.
Insurance companies can use such trusting device documentation to bring your business back to even a minimum function. It may compel the gas station owner’s attention, but it is very worth it. Depending on your internet connections, these cameras can be very effective for the better for your business.
