In an industry constantly facing threats of cheats, theft and fraud, from customers and employees, security cameras are an essential element of a successful casino or other gaming operation.

Thanks to surveillance cameras at  Nordstrom department stores in the Portland, OR area, police and FBI agents have identified Jamie Lynn Bacon, of Beaverton, OR, as the thief who has defrauded Nordstrom of nearly $10,000 since fall 2006.

Two criminals from the Miami area learned a tough lesson recently - don't steal from Uncle Bob.

Brian John Perry is a man who knows what he likes, and takes what he wants. What the 42-year-old wanted this week was a framed painting of Mt. Hood on display in the Clackamas County Public Services Building in Oregon City, Ore. An avid skier, Perry was attracted to the painting which uses an assortment of shocking pastels to depict one of his favorite mountains, so he decided to steal it. Unfortunately for Perry, the building is outfitted with a video surveillance system, and his bold attempt at art thievery was captured on camera in great detail.

"Shrinkage" or the theft of inventory (either by customers or employees), has plagued large and small retail outlets for years, and video surveillance and security cameras have been one of the main tools that stores and managers use to control their stock and maintain their store's security.

Two would-be robbers in Dalian City, China have learned a valuable lesson - never go back to the scene of the crime. As alluring as it may be, there will always be trouble awaiting. These two 21 year olds learned the hard way - they were arrested by the police.

It's the biggest recorded heist in UK history - a staggering £53 million pounds, (about $105 million USD) taken from a sorting and holding depot for retail stores and groceries all across England, even serving the Bank of England. So how did this take place? Money handling and intense security go hand-in-hand, and this depot was no exception. This was an inside job - security guard Emir Hysenaj actually used video surveillance to counter the security of the depot.

Usually, when parking a car in a lot at a mall, you get the standard security reminder: hide your belongings, lock your car, take your valuables with you. These are thought to be the best way to prevent break-ins, car theft, and expensive repair for things like broken windows. However, a rash of unusual crimes around the Washington, D.C. metro area has made parking lot security officials think twice about the standard precautions.

A series of seemingly unprovoked attacks near downtown Charlottesville, Va. has prompted business owners to seek out an effective form of video security for the popular shopping area. The public's confidence in the Downtown Mall's level of safety has waned due to the widely publicized attacks, each of which featured the same group of youths assaulting innocent pedestrians. Many malls and shopping areas install security cameras to both cut down on theft and also to enhance the overall level of safety by deterring these types of assaults and criminal acts. Surveillance footage can also prove extremely valuable to investigators tracking down suspects involved in incidents after they've been reported.

Vending machine designers have struggled for years to stay one step ahead of would-be snack food cons; adding features that make pilfering candy and sodas difficult and not worth it for the petty thief. A string of vending machine break-ins and thefts in the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania has prompted major action from Coca Cola - who's pulling out all the stops to find two men suspected of major vending machine theft.

A man broke into Cesar's flowers in San Jose, CA in mid-December, ordering owner Celina Sandoval and her young son to the floor and emptying the cash register. He didn't get away with much cash - but the robbery has had Sandoval scarred ever since

In an attempt to step up security at convenience and quick-stop stores in the area, Toledo lawmakers have created a law that requires all convenience stores to have business licenses and a functioning security camera system (and to share that recorded footage with the police). It's hoped that the convenience store IP cameras will help eliminate the drug, loitering and robbery problems that many quick stop and carryout stores are prone to.

Flashing lights, pounding music, beautiful people dancing...and security camera theft? Not many people associate theft with a night out dancing, but a German man in the town of Hof (in Bavaria) thought that he'd spice things up with a little thievery.

Axis announced the release of three new cameras today - the P1311, M3011 and M3014 - all representing new advances in technology and announcing the direction of IP cameras in the future.

Co.op Mart is a popular supermarket chain based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The supermarket was looking for a video surveillance upgrade that would enhance security levels against shoplifting and robberies, while also allowing for centralized management and remote monitoring. By installing a network-based solution that uses Vivotek IP cameras, Co.op Mart was able meet these surveillance requirements, utilizing the network cameras for a variety of applications from security to researching customer behavior trends.

Video surveillance is more important than ever, especially in light of the results of the National Retail Security Survey released this week. According to the survey which showed preliminary results from 2008, the rate of retail theft has increased for the first time in six years. The lowest rate was reported in 2007 at 1.44 percent of retail sales, 2008 saw the number increase to 1.52 percent, a $36.5 billion loss.

Portugal's massive Palacio Do Gelo shopping complex is now being monitored by an IP-based surveillance system featuring 200 Sony network cameras. All in all, the shopping facility includes hundreds of shops and restaurants, a theater, and a supermarket. That's a lot of ground to cover. The Sony network cameras are part of an integrated solution that combines video surveillance, digital signage, and a public address system, all operating along the same IP infrastructure.

Images captured by five Axis IP cameras recently led to the arrest of thieves that broke into one of Scotland’s leading refrigeration and catering equipment suppliers. The Glasgow-based HiTec Refrigeration was first notified of the break-in by their alarm system. However, when security personnel arrived the thieves were long gone.

It’s tempting to profile shoplifters. You don’t often imagine shoplifters as mature, hardworking professionals who earn a six-figure salary. Unfortunately it happens and isn’t necessarily all that uncommon. Oftentimes retailers do not pay enough attention to those consumers who don’t fit the profile of how we envision shoplifters. Ex-Purdue University Dean Robert "Pablo" Malavenda has taught retailers a valuable lesson: shoplifters shouldn't be stereotyped. As a college dean, he managed approximately 690 student activities and organizations, including sororities and fraternities.

Organized retail theft poses a serious threat to all retailers. Retail losses from organized retail crime range between $15 billion and $37 billion annually. Shoplifting, cargo theft, return fraud, and flash robs are all examples of organized retail theft.

According to a 2011 study conducted by the National Retail Federation, organized retail crime occurred most often in the following cities: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, and Phoenix.

As he was led out of the courtroom, Richard Lavern Remington had one last thing to say to Safeway officials after he was banned from the store for life and ordered by Judge Youlee Yim You to pay $20,000 for the crimes he committed: "I’ll be back!"