And these are all easy prey for thieves and vandals, costing council and small business tens of thousands of dollars a year in repair, replacement and insurance costs.

Tamworth Regional Council over the years has secured funding for, and put its own money into, a CCTV network around the city, boosted  by a mobile system moved from hotspot to hotspot.

And, it’s an investment that’s paying off.

The arrest of four teens for vandalism attacks on sporting fields and community facilities a few months ago came as a result of police analysing CCTV footage which captured the illegal activity, and the perpetrators.

They are too young to be dealt with through the usual channels, but they will be forced to account for their crimes and come face-to-face with those they’ve affected.

An increasing number of businesses are also installing their own cameras inside their premises and these, too, have been used in recent times to give the police a headstart when it comes to finding those responsible for break-ins and theft.

There have been arguments in the past that CCTV is an invasion of privacy, but, really, if you’ve got nothing to hide then why worry.

This footage is being used to great effect in the war on crime, and it’s just not park benches and fields we’re talking about either: it’s people, too, who are going about their business without any idea they could be a potential target for criminals.

When police can’t be everywhere all the time, these “eyes in the sky” can.

And if they prove a deterrent in the first instance, then that’s even better. 

If someone thinks twice before committing a crime because they know they’ll be seen, then that’s a big win.

Those with illegal activity on their minds are always on the lookout for opportunities, just as those who are on the other side of the law.

Every opportunity to catch an offender – or stop a crime before it occurs – is being utilised by the authorities and technology like CCTV is obviously proving a powerful ally.