Safe City Camera Theft Discovered After 26 Days, Raising Security Concerns in Islamabad
ISLAMABAD – A theft involving three surveillance cameras belonging to the Islamabad Safe City Authority has sparked concerns about the effectiveness of monitoring systems after officials discovered the missing equipment 26 days after it had been stolen.
According to police, the cameras were removed from the G-9/4 sector on May 5, 2026, along with a cabinet containing related equipment. Despite the cameras remaining offline from the day of the theft, the disappearance went unnoticed for nearly a month.
Authorities said the stolen equipment, including three dome surveillance cameras and the cabinet, was valued at approximately Rs549,500. A formal case was registered at Karachi Company Police Station following a complaint filed by Safe City Authority official Ahmed Hassan against two unidentified individuals.
Police investigators stated that footage recorded before the system went offline showed two men allegedly stealing the cameras and the cabinet. The theft only came to light when a technical team visited the site on May 31 to investigate why the surveillance system had stopped transmitting data.
During the inspection, technicians discovered that both the cameras and the cabinet had been removed. Officials then reviewed the last available footage, which reportedly captured the suspects carrying out the theft. Senior officers were subsequently informed, leading to the registration of a criminal case.
The incident has raised serious questions regarding the monitoring procedures of the Safe City system, which is designed to enhance public safety through continuous surveillance and rapid detection of suspicious activities.
According to officials, no alerts were generated despite the cameras remaining offline for several weeks. Critics argue that the delayed detection highlights weaknesses in system oversight and maintenance procedures.
This is not the first incident involving theft of Safe City equipment in Islamabad. Earlier this year, on April 19, 2026, a face-recognition camera installed at Faizabad Metro Station was reportedly stolen.
In that case, the theft was only discovered after technical staff visited the location several days later to investigate prolonged connectivity issues. The authority reportedly took nine days to confirm the theft and register a case with law enforcement agencies.
A review of previous incidents indicates a recurring pattern of thefts targeting surveillance infrastructure in the federal capital.
In October 2025, thieves reportedly stole Safe City equipment from an area located approximately one and a half kilometres from Karachi Company Police Station. The theft was uncovered when a technician inspected a surveillance pole in G-9/2 and found that its lock had been broken. Authorities later confirmed that a battery worth Rs35,000 had been stolen.
Similarly, in March 2024, two surveillance cameras valued at approximately Rs1.1 million disappeared from the Koral Flyover area near a police station. The theft was discovered after monitoring staff stopped receiving footage from the cameras and initiated an investigation.
Another case occurred in September 2023 when a Safe City camera worth around Rs120,000 was stolen from an area near Margalla Police Station. Despite the theft taking place on September 2, officials reportedly became aware of the incident only two weeks later.
The repeated thefts have prompted concerns among security experts and citizens regarding the protection of surveillance infrastructure that is intended to help prevent crime and support law enforcement operations.
Analysts argue that the effectiveness of a modern surveillance network depends not only on camera installation but also on continuous monitoring, timely maintenance, and immediate response mechanisms when systems go offline.
Authorities have not yet announced whether additional security measures will be introduced to protect Safe City infrastructure. However, the latest incident is expected to trigger a review of monitoring protocols and equipment security procedures.
As investigations continue, law enforcement agencies are working to identify and apprehend the suspects captured in the available footage. Officials hope that the case will also lead to improvements in how critical surveillance systems are monitored and protected across Islamabad.
The incident serves as a reminder that even sophisticated security systems require constant oversight to ensure their effectiveness and prevent vulnerabilities that may be exploited by criminals.
