As we discussed recently, police in Iceland’s capital have defended their decision to respond to a surge in pickpocketing with a new surveillance initiative. The CCTV watchtowers follow a marked increase in reported incidents this spring.
As reported by RÚV, 18 pickpocketing cases were reported in April and May, compared to just five in the same period last year. “We are responding to that by installing cameras where we don’t have cameras,” said Guðmundur Pétur Guðmundsson from the Capital Area Police’s Investigation Department.
Temporary watchtowers equipped with cameras have been introduced in high-traffic tourist areas. The footage is stored for 25 days, mirroring existing protocols for police surveillance systems in Reykjavík’s city centre.
A necessary deterrent
“For the most part, foreign criminal groups are at work. We have caught a few of these people, especially through cameras,” Guðmundsson explained. “In quite a few of them, a wallet disappears from a backpack or side bag. And then we’re often talking about 400 euros up to 1,000 euros and even 3,000 dollars in one case, as well as credit cards and travel documents. It’s ruined the trip for these people.”
Despite aesthetic concerns from the public, police stress that the towers are a necessary deterrent. “This is our effort to try to discourage this annoying activity in a beautiful place. It is also our job to inform people about the issue,” said Guðmundsson.
