Al-Hasakah – Majd al-Salem

Residents and various economic actors have increasingly turned to using surveillance camera systems in the city of al-Hasakah due to the deteriorating security situation and the rise in theft, robbery, and murder incidents in the area.

Ibrahim al-Salmo, 46, who works in a money exchange company in al-Hasakah, told Enab Baladi that it is impossible to have an exchange company without surveillance cameras, which have become one of the most crucial safety and security conditions for the shop and its employees.

He added that surveillance cameras are an effective means to deter theft attempts and dissuade anyone thinking about it, as thieves often avoid targeting shops equipped with them.

Surveillance cameras also play an important role in “service quality, preserving employee rights, and identifying the location of any error that could cost thousands of dollars,” according to the young man.

He mentioned that errors often occur by employees in counting or delivering and receiving financial transfers, or losing money. In such cases, the presence of cameras is decisive in identifying the error’s location and who is responsible, reducing any internal fraud attempts.

Customers feel confident dealing with the shop when they see it is equipped with surveillance cameras, knowing that their money and interests are safe. This enhances the shop’s reputation and increases its customers.

Enab Baladi met some clients who mentioned that the presence of cameras exposes pickpockets who exploit the crowding in front of money transfer and exchange companies, especially during holidays.

Price in US dollar

According to what Enab Baladi found out through conversations with surveillance system installation technicians, money exchange companies and goldsmiths are among the most frequent users of surveillance systems.

Abdul Malik Hassan, 32, a surveillance camera installation technician in Qamishli, told Enab Baladi that the demand for installing protection and surveillance devices, including cameras, is continuously increasing, contributing to the rise in the number of shops selling these systems.

It is no longer limited to shop owners; residents are increasingly installing cameras around their homes and at building entrances due to repeated theft and burglary incidents.

He added that thousands of surveillance cameras, some operating 24 hours a day, are present in Qamishli, covering the central market, streets, and main roads, with some shop owners using ten cameras at once.

Regarding prices, Hassan said they vary depending on the type and features of the cameras, starting from around 50 US dollars up to 300 dollars, highlighting differences in features such as resolution (2 or 5 megapixels), storage capacity, night vision capabilities, light sensitivity for shooting in various lighting conditions, angle and field of view, and shooting range, with some cameras covering distances of 100 and 300 meters.

According to the technician, the most crucial feature is linking the cameras to mobile phone applications, enabling the customer to monitor their establishment from any place and at any time.

Do not prevent thefts

There are no recent official statistics on the number of thefts, robberies, or any type of crime committed in the areas controlled by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), except for those from 2022, amounting to 1,318 theft cases.

A lawyer from Qamishli, who requested anonymity, told Enab Baladi that the presence of cameras has contributed to reducing theft incidents, but this does not prevent dozens of thefts reported by residents every month in different areas of al-Hasakah.

He mentioned that some cameras might have captured the perpetrator, but some thieves resort to concealing their identities, making it difficult to recognize them, or taking routes and streets not monitored by cameras, complicating the tracking process.

The lawyer added that security authorities sometimes refuse to review surveillance cameras, especially if they belong to those same security entities “without knowing the reason.”

Additionally, power outages hinder the operation of these cameras, rendering them ineffective.