Case Study: City Utilities of Springfield, MO stops copper thefts and speeds police response with Axis Communications thermal and PTZ cameras

City Utilities of Springfield, MO uses Axis thermal cameras to catch copper thieves after dark

City Utilities of Springfield, MO was hit by a surge in copper thefts at its 47 unmanned electric substations (17 incidents in the first two months of 2012; nine break‑ins in a 22‑day span costing about $45,000). To monitor dark, remote sites without adding disruptive lighting, the utility engaged Axis Communications (via partner NetWatch) to deploy thermal and PTZ network cameras, including AXIS Q1921‑E and AXIS P5532‑E models, integrated with Milestone XProtect for centralized 24/7 surveillance.

Axis Communications’ thermal cameras detect heat signatures and trigger motion alerts while PTZ cameras provide remote identification and verification; streaming to CU’s central security office, the system eliminated many false alarms, shortened law‑enforcement response to about five minutes, caused suspects to flee or be apprehended, and helped avoid average incident costs of roughly $6,000—improving safety and delivering a clear ROI.

City Utilities of Springfield, MO

Nick Rasey

Manager of Physical Security