Speeding cameras targeted by vandals
Alan Ferguson • Published 2 Oct 2012 14:23
3 Comments
A SPATE of unusual and disturbing instances of damage targeted at safety cameras on the A68 has been taking place.
Two fixed cameras have been vandalised, in both instances a saw has been used to remove the entire safety camera housing.
The cameras affected are located at Birkenside, just north of Earlston and at Headshaw, just north of Oxton.
The actual instance of vandalism is highly dangerous to the person causing the destruction as they could be electrocuted, what is left is hazardous to other people who come close to the equipment as it is live.
Safety cameras are located at places where there is a history of collisions and speeding - removing the safety cameras from their locations puts all motorists at a greater danger and can have an adverse effect on the communities in which they are situated.
The safety cameras on the A68 were installed in 1999 and since 2009 fatal and serious collisions have fallen by half and personal injury collisions have decreased by a third.
Inspector Brain Macfarlane, Scottish Borders East CPA for Lothian and Borders Police, said: "Lothian and Borders Police is taking this very seriously and are investigating. If any member of the public has information they think might relate to either acts of vandalism please contact the police on 0131 311 3131 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously.
"It could be that a passing motorist witnessed what they thought was a maintenance vehicle servicing the camera and this might not have been the case."
Scottish Borders Council's Executive Member for Community Safety, Councillor Donald Moffat said: "If a camera has been installed at a specific location, it is there for a very good reason - to prevent accidents and deter motorists from speeding.
"The person who has carried out this dangerous act, twice now, is putting everyone who uses the A68 at a greater risk of being involved in what could be a serious collision."
This article appeared in Border Telegraph 02 Oct 12
Have your say. Post a comment on this article.
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Dr8Ball
Unregistered User
Oct 2, 20:38
Report commentAll these speed cameras, security cameras, town cameras, personal cameras, community warders with CAMERAS, traffic light CAMERAS are all instances of big brother come to life.
I don't usually subscribe to this to this sort of anarchy but maybe it's about time a vigilantly made a move against the inescapable voyeurs of our draconian governing entities.
Recommend?
Yes 2
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Aoxomoxoa
Unregistered User
Oct 9, 09:29
Report commentDr8Ball - speed cameras and traffic wardens with cameras are in a different category to the other cameras that you complain about because you have a CHOICE about whether you are photographed by them.
Quite simply, if you don't want to be photographed by a speed camera, don't speed, and if you don't want your car photographed by a traffic warden, don't park illegally. Not too difficult, is it?
Recommend? Yes 4
No 1
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sarahbrown
Unregistered User
Dec 19, 09:21
Report commentSpeed cameras, used by some municipalities to issue citations, have been debatable since their beginning. Now, some cams in Baltimore, Md. are apparently delivering citations to non-speeders erroneously, restoring the fracas. Then Juvenal wrote the phrase “qui custodiet e custodes,” meaning “who watches the watchers,” preventing speed camera vandalism is not what he had in mind. Read More Here.
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