The İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) has installed surveillance cameras around mosques and historical sites in the districts of Süleymaniye and Zeyrek in order to prevent theft and arson as well as illegal construction.

İBB Conservation Implementation Control Bureau (KUDEB) President Mehmet Şimşek Deniz said many criminal complaints have been filed at prosecutors' offices since the installation of the cameras and that the municipality was working to install more throughout İstanbul. The decision to install them came after some 30 mosques were set on fire on the Asian side of İstanbul last year. The cameras act to protect İstanbul's historical sites.

“Our aim is to secure historical buildings and the legacy of our ancestors. Last year, there were many attempts to set fire to mosques in İstanbul. Thefts in mosques and historical places are frequent, especially in the summer. Attempts to start fires and build illegally were immediately discovered and reported to security units. Criminal complaints were filed at prosecutor's offices about those who have damaged historical sites,” said Deniz.

Cameras also detect attempted crimes

The cameras not only protect historical sites but also detect crimes committed near these places and act as a deterrent. “We have killed two birds with one stone,” Deniz said, explaining that a project to install 50 surveillance cameras at Topkapı Palace, Odakule and Galata Kulesi as well as the Sultanahmet and Fatih mosques is progressing rapidly.

The cameras, which are operated by KUDEB, can be moved remotely, and any suspicious activity detected is reported to local security units immediately. The cameras are monitored and in operation 24 hours a day and can record wide-angle, long-distance shots. Most importantly, they can also capture detailed images in the dark.