When a Williamson Road convenience store manager was killed during a robbery in February -- police had a head start. a nice clear image on video tape. Even after the arrest, video makes any case easier.
“When I've located a suspect I and I start interviewing them, and I'm able to tell them, look -- I've got you on camera. I know it was you. And there's really not a whole lot they can say at that point,” said detective Rich Cooper of the Roanoke Police Department.
But it's seldom cut and dried... Too often the video is non-existent or worthless.
“You can't tell what race a person is, you can't tell if it's a male or a female sometimes.. It just gets real frustrating,” Cooper said.
We compared an old fashioned black and white system with a brand new digital system. The difference is well, black and white.
Atul Patel invests in good camera systems -- those that cost 15 -25 hundred dollars and record on a hard drive or DVR.
He owns 10 local convenience stores and is president of the Roanoke Valley Asian American Business Association. Patel tells fellow owners to do as he does. All because: "That helps you prevent the crime and helps the police department to catch the suspect."
"It can help us catch a suspect the first time they commit a robbery, and maybe we will prevent them from doing robberies at other stores," said Cooper.
Patel owns the store where, February's murder happened. It didn't prevent the robbery -- but it certainly helped police make an arrest.
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