A newly installed CCTV camera which was located at a notorious fly-tipping hotspot near Bridlington has fallen victim to vandalism, with thieves reportedly stealing the batteries from the unit.
Over the weekend, intruders used pliers to break into the installation, resulting in significant damage to the camera positioned on Woldgate, close to a picturesque area that has inspired renowned artist David Hockney in his famous artworks.
Just last week, the East Riding of Yorkshire Council had announced the deployment of advanced CCTV camera towers at various locations, including Cottingham, Hessle, Boynton near Bridlington, and Rawcliffe near Goole, in an effort to capture fly-tippers in the act.
A spokesperson for East Riding of Yorkshire Council said: “Our CCTV camera tower at Boynton has been vandalised and parts were stolen.
“The incident disrupted the tower’s power supply. The company supplying them to the council, Kingdom, was automatically alerted and a team was dispatched to the site to investigate.
“The cameras have been removed and will be repaired and returned. Meanwhile the council will keep a close eye on fly-tipping incidents at this site.
“Footage of the incident is being collated and will be passed to the police, as this theft and criminal damage has been reported to them.”
The council aims for these new cameras to not only catch offenders but also to deter individuals from dumping waste in the first place, thereby preventing environmental crimes.
The streetscene enforcement team at the council receives approximately 2,500 fly-tipping reports annually, which they investigate, leading to prosecutions when feasible. The council bears the cost of clearing the rubbish.
Those found guilty of fly-tipping in the East Riding may face a fixed penalty of up to £1,000, or their case could be escalated to court, where they risk facing unlimited fines or even imprisonment.
The camera towers are planned operate continuously for the next year, with any recorded offences thoroughly investigated and used as evidence against the perpetrators.
The council plans to impose fixed penalties or take offenders to court to seek fines and recover costs wherever possible.
Each camera tower is strategically placed on grass verges in the identified hotspots, equipped with cameras that monitor all angles. The recorded footage is overseen by trained CCTV security operatives, and the towers are also fitted with automatic number plate recognition technology.
One of the towers employs cutting-edge AI technology to detect littering incidents automatically, alerting staff promptly when such events occur.
The council’s team is notified to investigate any incidents of fly-tipping that are detected.
East Riding of Yorkshire Council has collaborated with three companies – Kingdom, WCCTV, and Clearway – to lease the CCTV cameras, all of which have specialised experience in assisting local authorities in combating environmental crime.
