There could be as many as 17,000 CCTV cameras now in Northampton

The number of CCTV cameras in Northampton may have have broken 17,000 this year, according to research.

There is now as many as one camera for every 13 people in the borough as the popularity of public surveillance, home CCTV and doorbell camera use in Northampton increases.

The number is rising year on year as the cost of technology comes down and the popularity of sub £200 surveillance camera systems and doorbell cameras increases.

Additionally, anxiety over lockdown and the increase in mail order purchases has reportedly also driven the use of DIY CCTV systems at home for monitoring and security purposes.

James Ritchey from the Northampton branch of CCTV.co.uk, which published the estimate, said: "It won’t come as a shock to most people that the number of CCTV Cameras in Northampton has hit a new record high, driven mainly by residents installing home CCTV in the last year. The popularity of doorbell cameras is relentless.

"The technology is getting much cheaper, and when we look at the number of doorbell cameras, DIY CCTV and Home CCTV systems being installed by Northampton homeowners currently, we recon the numbers have risen a lot this year."

However, the exact number of cameras in the town is not available as CCTV does not been to be registered.

CCTV.co.uk now thinks that as many as 1 camera per 13 Northampton residents is where the number lies based on historical data and the upsurge in camera use in 2020.

And based on National averages almost 96% of the total number of cameras in Northampton are owned by private businesses and homeowners – not the Government.

James said: “These numbers may send shivers down the spine of those worried about state monitoring, however the Government controls less than 4% of the total CCTV cameras in Northampton – most are just homeowners protecting their property."