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If you're camera shy, too bad. Because video is now everywhere.

Parking lot fights in Wichita, police chases, even an emergency potty break can go public.

Cameras are in nearly every business now and more homeowners than ever use them to guard against vandals and thieves.

"In the last five years we've done more camera systems for the general public than we have in the last 30," said Michael Green of The Greenbuilt Company.

Green knows home surveillance. He's had cameras peering over his fence in south Wichita for about ten years. He's helped police nab vandals and hit and run drivers on Harry Street.

Watching the cameras on a Saturday night can even be a source of entertainment for him.

Business owner Steve Conway has surveillance cameras at his west Wichita car wash to protect his investment from thieves. Recently, he found a different kind of dirty deed being committed. A driver pulled into one of the bays at Little Joe's car wash, dropped his pants in the corner and used it as a toilet.

Conway was so angry he posted the video on the internet just to embarrass the guy.

"If other people see that it's going to become visible, they might think twice before they do stuff like this," Conway said.

The prevalence of surveillance and cell phone video is a major plus for Wichita police in the fight against property and financial crimes.

"We're facing today a huge volume of people that have video evidence almost overwhelming the detectives quite honestly," said Deputy Chief Tom Stolz.

Police said there are challenges with retrieval of data from different systems. There are also legal and evidentiary questions that must be answered in court. But the surge of access to video gives detectives a tool they didn't have 20 years ago.

So, next time you think no one is watching, think carefully.
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