Surveillance video cameras have another role

Surveillance video has led to the arrest of two suspects involved in two recent valley crimes.

“We got it to watch the neighborhood and keep it safe around here and catch people doing wrong things around here,” Cora Parsons said of the camera on her home.

Parsons sits in front of her home at ease, trusting the camera above her right shoulder.

“They’re probably going to do it anyways, but hopefully it’ll stop them from doing it, and save people’s lives too,” Parsons said.

If it won’t stop criminals from wrongful acts, it can at least lead police to the suspects, as surveillance video did with two crimes in Desert Hot Springs.

Surveillance video helped police arrest 33-year old Edwin Holt, who stabbed Alex Walls last month on Fifth Street.

Video also led police to Javon Davis, who shot a woman back in July on Buena Vista Avenue.

With tiny cameras bringing so much success to police as of late, we asked people if they think surveillance cameras are really that important.

“There’s been about two serious incidents where we had to rewind it and see what was going on and it really helped out a lot,” Desert Hot Springs resident Ami Dennis said.

“I’d probably be looking out my blinds every ten minutes, just worried. The camera is right there, the TV is right there, we see all the activity that goes from here to here,” Parsons said.

Comtrom Security said surveillance camera installations are on the rise because they are more affordable, costing around $500, and easier to use, with smart phone capabilities, than ever before.

Also, Comtrom added that, with so many seasonal people in the valley, they want year round protection.

“So many people take their safety for granted, and don’t think anything will ever happen to them. If they do (install cameras), you’d have piece of mind knowing that person was apprehended and put away and not roaming the streets,” Parsons said.