Dubbo City Council’s community services director David Dwyer said the cameras, which council have in place to patrol public footpaths and roads, broke down due to a power supply burnout.

“The cameras went out on Thursday afternoon and we had to order a new bit to fix them - we had them up again by Tuesday,” he said.

During this period however, Priceline Pharmacy had its window smashed for the second time in two weeks and owner Greg Shearing was hoping camera footage could help them find the perpetrators.

“We had our front window smashed as a result of a fight that broke out in the early hours of February 23,” Mr Shearing said.

“It was then smashed again last Friday, but when I asked if they could check the street cameras for any footage from that incident I was told they were down.

“I’m not making very good friends with my insurance company.”

Mr Shearing said he found it frustrating that he paid rates for CCTV cameras when they didn’t work.

Mr Dwyer said it wasn’t council’s responsibility to protect private property.

“Council’s cameras are there to protect public footpaths and roads, not somebody’s store window,” he said.

Mr Dwyer said that council currently had $140,000 put aside for a camera software upgrade.

“The software would allow the police who monitor the footage to be able to move the cameras up and down and zoom in and out,” he said.

“We also have plans to strengthen the cameras wireless service and move the recording equipment from the police station back into council.”

Mr Dwyer said that council would look at purchasing more cameras if there was any money left over.

He said that it was up to Dubbo Police to decide where the new cameras would be placed if they were to purchase new ones.

The plans to upgrade the cameras will be put to council on Monday and if passed they will begin the process immediately.

“If passed it will possibly take around two months,” Mr Dwyer said.

anna.yeo@ruralpress.com