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Following a recent cabinet vote, Westminster Council has decided to shut down their network of 75 cameras in central London this autumn. Controversial? You bet. They say the move will save them the £1m it costs every year to run them - but understandably, Londoners aren't too pleased about it.
A few folks took to Twitter to share their concerns:
When most likely terrorist targets will be in Central London ,Westminster council is turning off its street CCTV.
— ♦GARO♦ (@g_a_zz) June 7, 2016
U couldn't make this up.🙈
@BBCLondonNews @CityWestminster @BBCNews Great way to turn soho into an undesirable area,so no one complains when you destroy Soho #SaveSoho
— Stevie (@dicanio72) June 7, 2016
@BBCNews big mistake! Criminals will have a field day if CCTV are taken away!! 😡
— Artem&Torrey (@jane9668) June 1, 2016
Westminster Council to turn off all CCTV cameras to save cash - slack will fall on #police to pick up. Rise in crime inevitable.
— FoxtrotCop (@Foxtrot_Cop) June 7, 2016
Still, the council reckon there isn't enough evidence to suggest CCTV can prevent crime in the first place. In fact, they point out it’s only ever been useful for the Met police to have footage for arrests and prosecutions, but say they never coughed up cash to keep the system going.
At least CCTV cameras run by TFL, private businesses and housing estates will still be on the lookout, so it's not all doom and gloom. But let's just hope Westminster Council doesn't prove itself wrong.
Image: Tad Wohlrapp