Megapixel Cameras Watching Over Gas Stations In Massachusetts

  • Aug 04, 2010

Megapixel cameras and video compression cards from Hikvision are being used at gas stations on the north-south highway ‘US Route 1’ in Massachusetts.  The filling stations are Gulf, Mobil and Shell outlets on Boston’s North Shore.
 
Problems facing management included ‘drive-offs’, where motorists fill their tanks without paying, assaults on staff, pilfering from shops on the forecourt and theft of automobile parts.
 
The challenges are being met by use of Hikvision’s 5-megapixel cameras employing digital media processors based on TI’s DaVinci technology. The cameras are positioned at cash registers, store entrances and exits as well as arrival and exit lanes from the freeway. License plate recognition is one of the most demanding tasks and clients are benefiting from the ability of these units to capture fine detail.
 
Some of the PoE cameras used have been pole-mounted while others are attached to station fixtures. Cameras are also fitted under pump canopies where shadow is an issue; the units are required to perform across varying light levels and an optimum iris position is selected automatically.
 
The client’s brief to integrator SoundBytes Security included provision of footage from entrance and exit lanes to law enforcement agencies who are benefiting from the search and retrieval offered by the Hikvision H.264 video compression cards also being used on the project. SoundBytes are using dual-stream cards from the HCI series. 
 
"Rapid incident retrieval is important for these customers and for police officers, but footage also helps with logistics and safety,” said Ed Morando Sr., owner of SoundBytes Security.

“Gulf, Mobil and Shell pay particular attention to their duty of care to lone workers, and the camera images can be used to monitor tanker delivery staff when they arrive on site.
 
“The range of Hikvision products used at these gas stations is wide; we are also supplying analogue and IP-addressable cameras. Both SoundBytes and the client can view images remotely from a web browser, taking control of cameras as necessary. Use of the footage is a combination of real-time monitoring and retrospective incident analysis.”
 
The Hikvision 5-megapixel cameras used here deliver a compressed video stream with resolution of up to QSXGA (2560x1920) at 8 fps and 1080p at full frame rate. The image quality more than meets evidential requirements and assists both management and civic authorities in securing criminal convictions. Local card storage (SD/SDHC) ensures no breaks in recording even when the network connection is interrupted. There is support for two-way audio and ePTZ.
 

 

Featured

  • Report: 47 Percent of Security Service Providers Are Not Yet Using AI or Automation Tools

    Trackforce, a provider of security workforce management platforms, today announced the launch of its 2025 Physical Security Operations Benchmark Report, an industry-first study that benchmarks both private security service providers and corporate security teams side by side. Based on a survey of over 300 security professionals across the globe, the report provides a comprehensive look at the state of physical security operations. Read Now

    • Guard Services

  • Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

    Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now

  • Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

    Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now

  • Report: AI is Supercharging Old-School Cybercriminal Tactics

    AI isn’t just transforming how we work. It’s reshaping how cybercriminals attack, with threat actors exploiting AI to mass produce malicious code loaders, steal browser credentials and accelerate cloud attacks, according to a new report from Elastic. Read Now

  • Pragmatism, Productivity, and the Push for Accountability in 2025-2026

    Every year, the security industry debates whether artificial intelligence is a disruption, an enabler, or a distraction. By 2025, that conversation matured, where AI became a working dimension in physical identity and access management (PIAM) programs. Observations from 2025 highlight this turning point in AI’s role in access control and define how security leaders are being distinguished based on how they apply it. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.