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Oakland Chinatown Merchants Hope Security Cameras Will Cut Crime

OAKLAND (KCBS) -- Two thousand people use Oakland's popular Lincoln Square Recreation Center each day with the expectation that it's safe. Now with the addition of 16 privately-funded security cameras, members of the Asian community who gathered to discuss ways to cut down on crime Saturday are hopeful that property crime and vandalism will go down as a result.

Oakland City Councilwoman Pat Kernighan said a decrease in graffiti is almost a sure thing.

KCBS' Tim Ryan Reports:

"It happens at three and four in the morning when nobody's around and because you can't have a cop on every corner 24/7, that's when a camera comes in handy," said Kernighan.

Oakland Chinatown community leader Carl Chan said the community now has dozens of privately-funded surveillance cameras to deter crime.

"Most of the businesses are putting in the cameras not only on the inside, but also one or two pointing on the street side," said Chan.

One of those very cameras is credited to supplying evidence that would solve a homicide last year.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services may have contributed to this report.)

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