Retail Shop CCTV in Ipswich

The positions that matter in a shop

Four cameras cover the basics in most small shops. The first faces the entrance at head height, so everyone who walks in is caught face on, which is the shot police ask for. The second sits above and behind the counter, showing hands, cash, goods and the register. The third covers the stockroom or storage area. The fourth watches the back door, which is where most after-hours break-ins start.

Bigger stores add cameras down each aisle, over high value shelves, and on the loading area or car park.

Ipswich retail is not one thing

Shops in the Ipswich CBD, around Brisbane Street, Nicholas Street and the Top of Town, are often in older buildings with high ceilings, heritage frontages and limited roof access, so cable routes take some planning. Shops in a centre such as Redbank Plaza, Booval Fair, Orion Springfield Central or Yamanto Central have the centre’s rules to follow, and work usually needs centre management approval and has to happen outside trading hours. Standalone shops and takeaways on main roads are usually the simplest, with a roof space to work in and the car park out the front.

Recording time and getting footage out

Retail incidents are often found days later, when the stock count comes up short or a customer complaint arrives. Thirty days of continuous recording is a sensible minimum, and the drive is sized for it. When you need a clip, the app or the recorder exports it to a USB stick or your phone, and you are shown how before we leave.

Telling staff and customers

Signs at the entrance saying the premises is under video surveillance are good practice, and staff should be told in writing that cameras are in use and what they cover. Queensland does not have a dedicated workplace surveillance act like New South Wales, but recording private conversations is restricted under the Invasion of Privacy Act, so audio recording stays off unless there is a clear reason and everyone knows about it.

Businesses with annual turnover over $3 million, and some smaller ones, also have obligations under the federal Privacy Act for how footage of customers is stored and used. Our guide to Queensland CCTV laws covers the basics.

Separate logins for staff

The owner keeps the master login. A manager can be given playback access, and staff can see live view on a counter screen without access to recordings. If a staff member leaves, their access goes with them.

Questions people ask

Should I have a screen showing the cameras at the counter?

A public view monitor near the entrance tells customers they are on camera, which is a deterrent in itself. It shows live footage only, so staff cannot scroll back through recordings from the counter.

Can the camera read what is on the EFTPOS screen?

We aim counter cameras to show hands, cash and goods clearly, not to capture card PINs. A camera that records PIN entry creates its own problems.

What about cameras in the staff room?

Cameras must never go in toilets or change rooms. Staff rooms are best left without cameras too, unless there is a specific reason that staff have been told about.