CCTV gaps everywhere in Yeongjong Island, the gateway to Korea... “Difficult to investigate”

In Yeongjong Island, Incheon, which is known as the 'Gateway to Korea' as it houses Incheon International Airport, concerns are growing about the security vacuum due to the lack of closed circuit (CCTV) television.

According to the Incheon Yeongjong Police Station on the 7th, around 11 p.m. on the 27th of last month, a fisherman reported that about 50 plastic bottles containing rice were seen in the mud flat under the Muui Bridge in Muui-dong, Yeongjong-gu.

At the time, about 10 1.5L plastic bottles collected by the Coast Guard all contained rice, and one or two of them also contained US $1 bills.

The police investigated vehicles entering and exiting Muui Island on the same day, weighing the possibility that the area around Muui Bridge where the plastic bottles were found was a spraying site, but have not yet obtained any clear clues.

Some are calling for a rapid investigation and follow-up response, as the suspected purpose of distributing anti-North Korea leaflets occurred on Yeongjong Island.

However, on-site investigators are having difficulty investigating as there are almost no crime prevention CCTVs covering the Muui Bridge area and the number of CCTVs to track vehicle movements is also small.

In addition to this case, the investigative departments of the Yeongjong Police Station, which was reorganized in line with the launch of Yeongjong-gu last July, are commonly complaining of difficulties due to the lack of CCTV.

For example, on the 28th of last month, a report was received through 112 that an unidentified man was walking around with a weapon in a park in Yeongjong-gu, but the investigation is still in progress.

The police are having difficulty identifying the suspect as only one CCTV is installed in the park, and nearby residents are expressing anxiety after hearing the report.

An investigator who requested anonymity said, “Cases that would have immediately identified or arrested suspects in the inland area of ​​Incheon are not easy on Yeongjong Island,” and added, “There is an urgent need to expand CCTV.”

CCTV for crime prevention plays a key role in establishing a social safety net by preventing crime through 24-hour filming and providing investigative clues and evidence when an incident occurs.

According to Yeongjong-gu, as of last month, the total number of crime prevention CCTVs installed throughout Yeongjong-gu was 1,168.

The proportion of CCTV installations per 1㎢ in Yeongjong-gu is about 9, which is the lowest among the 9 districts in Incheon excluding Ganghwa-gun (4) and Ongjin-gun (3).

Last July, Yeongjong-gu, which governs the entire Yeongjong Island, was newly launched, but CCTV blind spots are appearing mainly in deserted alleys and outskirts of the city center.

An official from Yeongjong-gu said, "We are conducting a demand survey from related organizations and considering installing CCTVs at about 30 locations. We plan to compile and reflect the suggestions."