Cloud-based community watch goes live

Hamilton City Council, New Zealand Police and Datacom have launched the first phase of a community services partnership designed to reduce property offending. 

Datacom has built a secure website that allows members of the public to log on and record serial numbers of their expensive belongings. Users can associate a description, colour, make/model, and photograph with the serial number.

If any property is then lost or stolen, members can use the website to provide police or insurance companies with the relevant details.

District Commander, Superintendent Allan Boreham, said, "In its basic form it provides simple ways for people to record serial numbers and unique identifiers of legitimately purchased goods on an electronic database.”

He added that the website assists police in three ways, “It enables quick and easy retrieval of serial numbers by owners when reporting lost or stolen property to police. It enhances the Police National Intelligence Application (NIA) and it assists in the recovery of stolen goods and the identifying of offenders."