CCTV Upgrade to Curb Crime in Iconic Melbourne Street

A police CCTV security camera is seen in Caulfield, Melbourne, on Oct. 30, 2023. Susan Mortimer/The Epoch Times

Melbourne’s Lygon Street, renowned as the birthplace of the city’s world-famous cafe culture, has seen an uptick in crime over the past few years and is set to undergo a security overhaul with the installation of new CCTV cameras aimed at deterring individuals engaged in antisocial behaviour by enhancing monitoring capabilities for both people and vehicles.

Securing a funding of $260,000 from the state government, Melbourne has brought seven new cameras that will be installed between Elgon and Victoria Streets in Carlton. The total investment for this initiative amounts to approximately half a million dollars.

The escalation of crime in the area has spurred local business owners to lobby the city for heightened security and surveillance tools.

In May 2022, a teenage boy was stabbed in a store by an armed gang of seven inside the gelato shop Pidapipo on Lygon Street and received extensive injuries to his neck.

The same year, in Little Cardigan Street, a 26-year-old man was stomped on and kicked in the head by up to 10 males as he tried to flee down a laneway. 

Moreover, incidents such as a drive-by shooting at the intersection of Argyle Place and Lygon St in 2021, coupled with a 20 percent increase in sexual offenses and assaults in and around Lygon Street over the past two years, underscore the urgency for improved safety measures.

“Lygon Street is one of Melbourne’s most popular destinations, and we’re making sure everyone can feel safe and welcome while enjoying this vibrant precinct,” Lord Mayor Sally Capp said about the new cameras.

“Everyone deserves to feel safe in our city, no matter where they are or what time of day it is. We’re adding CCTV cameras along Lygon Street to deter potential crimes and to help police identify offenders.”

The Argyle Square area which often hosts events and is used by demonstrators to protest topical events like lockdowns and the conflict in Gaza can now be monitored effectively by a control room staffed with police officers.

Pro-Vax Anti-Fascists gather on Lygon Street in Carlton in 2021. New CCTV technology allows easier monitoring of large gatherings in Argyle Square. Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

New Cameras Are a Significant Aid to Law Enforcement 

The deployment of these cameras will not only act as a deterrent to potential offenders but also aid law enforcement in identifying and apprehending perpetrators swiftly.

The cameras, equipped with object-detecting algorithms for tracking vehicles, will relay the information in real-time to the emergency monitoring centre, facilitating rapid responses to incidents.

Additionally, the footage can be directly forwarded to police stations or officers’ tablets, speeding up the identification of offenders and reducing the reliance on eyewitness accounts.

China is the world’s most surveilled country, with 200 million cameras installed. In 2023, Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles ordered the removal of cameras from firms with links to the Chinese Communist Party from its defence department buildings.

The United States has 50 million, and the United Kingdom has six million-  equating to one camera for every 11 people.

Acknowledging the transformative impact of this initiative, Victoria Minister for Police and Crime Prevention Anthony Carbines expressed confidence in the project’s ability to enhance public safety.

“The new CCTV cameras will make Carlton safer—ensuring even more people can enjoy everything that Lygon Street has to offer. We’re proud to be investing in community safety initiatives and providing local communities the resources they need to improve public safety,” he said.

The entire Safe City Camera Network Expansion Project is expected to be fully operational by the middle of this year.