The Fremont Police Department is asking the city to spend $300,000 for surveillance cameras and license plate readers.
The request comes after officers have been able to catch suspects using home surveillance video provided by residents.
Steve Lau is one resident who has provided home surveillance video to police. He said, at about 3:45 p.m. Thursday, a woman walked up to his door carrying mail, put it down and picked up a package left on his doorstep.
"I felt violated that someone would take my things," Lau said.
Lau's neighbor was home at the time of the reported theft, but didn't see the woman.
"It's shocking because it's so brazen," neighbor Sidney Weintraub said.
But not everyone is in favor of the police department getting surveillance cameras.
"I don't know if it will solve the problem," Weintraub said. "And you may get into the murky water of the Big Brother thing."
Police maintain surveillance cameras are a much needed high-tech crime fighting tool.
Local
"It's a great deterrent to crime, and it tells people we care about our community," said Geneva Bosques, Fremont Police Department spokesperson. "And, if you come into our town, we are committed to investigating the crime."
