HD megapixel cameras protect prestige cars worth millions

San Juan Capistrano, Ca (USA)

The Barrett-Jackson Auction Company LLC, established in 1971 and headquartered in Scottsdale, AZ, specializes in providing products and services to classic and collector car owners, astute collectors, and automotive enthusiasts around the world. The company produces collector car auctions in Scottsdale, Palm Beach, FL, Las Vegas, NV and Orange County, CA.

Barrett-Jackson’s current video surveillance solution started with Systems Engineer Bill Hamilton’s web research back in 2008, looking for better quality images to monitor the company’s huge auto auctions. IQinVision provided a demonstration of HD megapixel quality images and now the company relies on 12 IQeye cameras strategically positioned at their four auctions to a keep a close eye on all the precious merchandise.

“At our shows, we’re trying to see all of the parked cars and anyone around them,” explained Hamilton. “We have a good number of issues with car owners complaining about missing items and damage to their cars occurring both before and after a sale. We need distinct, high-quality images to play back so we can successfully confirm or deny these accusations.” Hamilton utilizes his IQeye cameras at all the auctions to watch the most important parts of the action, including show entry and exit points.

“In most cases, we deploy all the IQeye cameras, they have the sharpest picture and they’re the most rugged. The IQeye802s are always dedicated to our staging lanes, where cars just about to be auctioned are located and there are a lot of people congregating. We use the video to check the condition of the cars against any claims. We use the IQeye855s on our high-end cars—the best cars in the show, the ones that bring in the highest amount of money,” Hamilton continued.

Hamilton and his team do some live viewing, but mostly they use video for post-event analysis to check any damage or stolen goods claims that result at the shows. “The IQeye855 5 megapixel pictures are definitely top notch, we can zoom in from a fairly long distance—100 feet up to 250 feet and we still get the detail we want. On one occasion, we caught a person up to some mischief from about 50 feet away with one of the 5 MP cameras. He asked for the picture we used and you should have seen the look on his face when he could see even the mole on his forehead. As he was confronted with the video evidence, he was heard to say, ‘It’s just not fair…’”.

Fifteen IQeye cameras were also installed at the company’s new HQ office during remodelling of the facility. IQeye511 cameras are installed at strategic locations inside and all-weather IQeye Sentinel cameras monitor designated outside areas. “We see everything that’s going on in and around the building. Recently, the cameras picked up a homeless man camping out behind our dumpster, he was well-hidden in the brush, but the Sentinels picked him out,” Hamilton recounted. In addition to the inside cameras and the exterior Sentinels, Hamilton has also installed an IQeye Sentinel to monitor the time clock at the warehouse to make sure the proper people are entering and leaving the premises.

“We have a very harsh environment—setting up the cameras, tearing down, storing them, shipping them back to our offices and a few months later doing it all over again. We’ve been quite satisfied with how the IQeye cameras have performed while taking all the set-up and tear-down in stride. The Sentinels have also been great for the exterior locations, I would not consider another camera,” Hamilton concluded.