Basler Cameras Protect Finnish Churches from Vandalism

Southern Ostrobothnia is a region in Western Finland famous for its beautiful countryside, historic villages, and important cultural monuments; three such cultural treasures are the wooden churches of Ilmajoki, Kurikka, and Jurva. Unfortunately, they have become subject to vandalism in recent years. After several incidents including broken windows and deliberate toppling of gravestones, parish authorities decided to install an IP camera solution to stop the vandalism to their churches.

Tuomo Aaltonen, Manager at Finnish security and communications provider Avalarm Oy, advised the church authorities on a suitable security solution. He recommended two Basler IP fixed box models, and a fixed dome model; all three offer megapixel resolution and day/night functionality.

Extended-period image recording capability and motion detection are required to continuously monitor the church's immediate vicinity, and inform security personnel when a vandalism attempt is underway. The Basler IP Cameras used in the church grounds are set to output an alarm whenever motion is detected.

Just a few months after installation, Tuomo Aaltonen reports positive results from the security installation. “The vandalism incidents decreased significantly after the cameras were put in place,” he says. “Criminals see that the cameras are there to record their activities, and even if they still dare to damage the churches, we can catch them red-handed and have recorded proof of their crime.”