Case Study: Springfield City Utilities achieves rapid detection and prevention of copper thefts with Milestone Systems

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

City Utilities of Springfield, Missouri, which operates 47 unmanned electric substations serving over 100,000 customers, faced a sharp rise in copper theft in 2012 that caused costly equipment losses and created dangerous electrocution risks. The utility needed discreet, reliable 24/7 surveillance that wouldn’t require bright lighting or generate excessive false alarms, and that could alert law enforcement quickly enough to catch thieves in the act.

NetWatch deployed Axis thermal (AXIS Q1921-E) and PTZ (AXIS P5532-E) network cameras streaming to Milestone XProtect at CU’s central security office; thermal imaging and motion analytics detect human heat signatures while PTZ cameras verify incidents and identify authorized staff. The system cut false alarms, shortened police response times to about five minutes, deterred or enabled apprehension of thieves, reduced repair costs and improved overall safety and ROI.

Springfield City Utilities

Nick Rasey

Manager of Physical Security, City Utilities Springfield