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Since August, the Cibolo Police Department has utilized Flock Safety Cameras to assist in tracking neighborhood crime.
How it works
Public Information Officer Rick Mireles said the cameras work by capturing pictures of license plates and vehicle details, which officers can use when investigating vehicles associated with criminal activity or be used as evidence in community cases.
The cameras help to provide officers with real-time updates to vehicles that may be a cause of suspicion.
“They are not active cameras continually videotaping our residents,” Mireles said. “They are taking still photos of vehicles wherever we are placing them.”
The police department has installed 11 cameras at the entrances of neighborhoods across the city. Mireles said the goal is to have cameras at the entrances and exits of every major subdivision.
Why it matters
Mireles said the No. 1 reported crime in Cibolo is theft, and the cameras can help identify vehicles that may have been involved in a theft-related crime.
Since being installed, the cameras have led to three arrests, with one being a stolen vehicle and the other two being vehicle burglaries, Mireles said.
While the cameras serve as a tool to help the police department identify vehicles and crime, the best way to prevent theft is to ensure that all entrances to homes and vehicles are securely locked, Mireles said.
“You can’t control human action,” he said. “So, if you can’t control human action, maybe you can control the environment.”
To help reduce the possibility of theft and vehicle break-ins, residents are encouraged to lock their doors, ensure all valuables are not left in a vehicle and hide any items that may be in view from the outside.
Mireles said a lot of stolen firearms come from vehicle burglaries and firearms should not be stored in the vehicle.
“Your vehicle makes a very poor gun locker,” he said.
While nothing is guaranteed to stop criminal activity, Mireles said many criminals will check locks for the home or vehicle that is unlocked rather than forcing entry, meaning the act of securing locks and property can dissuade theft.
In 2023, around 80% of theft calls were made due to unlocked vehicles. For a theft to be considered as a break-in, something must be broken to access the vehicle, Mireles said.
“These were vehicles that were not broken into. Nothing was broken,” Mireles said. “They access the vehicle as normal because it is unlocked, and take what they want.”
