Can Walmart Parking Lot Cameras Read License Plates?

Can Walmart parking lot cameras read license plates?

Imagine you’re shopping at Walmart and leave your vehicle well-parked in the lot, only to discover a massive scratch on the side.

Obviously, the first thing you should do is go through the neighboring camera records. Fortunately, Walmart, a famous American multinational retail corporation, has its whole parking lot area equipped with cameras, and reaching security employees may assist you in discovering your target.  [1]

Can Walmart Parking Lot Cameras Read License Plates?

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Technically, yes. Walmart’s parking lot security cameras can read license plates. However, they do not do it automatically since they are not LPR cameras. 

LPR (License Plate Recognition) security cameras are mainly built to record license plates in excellent detail. They are typically positioned in a fixed location and can read license plates from a distance. This makes them ideal for use in security applications when the purpose is to identify or track vehicles. 

Still, in case of emergency, Walmart security employees may manually check the tape or watch the live camera stream to get the license plate number. They may also record the faces of persons entering and exiting the establishment. [2]

How Good Are Walmart Security Cameras?

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Walmart deploys various cameras throughout the parking lot, including CCTV and IP cameras. Additionally, many cameras include night vision capabilities, allowing for round-the-clock usage. 

Walmart cameras do a fantastic job of keeping an eye on staff and customers, preventing crime, and lowering liability. 

They are positioned to cover the maximum amount of the parking lot. Security guards from Walmart keep an eye on the cameras and are prepared to intervene if they see any unusual conduct. 

Walmart security cameras have aided in both the capture of criminals and the prevention of crime in parking lots. They have also proved helpful in spotting possible safety risks like spills and potholes. [3]

Can Parking Lot Cameras See License Plates At Night?

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Although Walmart cameras may readily detect number plate information from a distance of more than 35 feet, the photos they capture are often distorted or blurry, rendering them practically worthless for identification. The quality of the light also affects the picture. 

Therefore, if you see your car hit in the mall parking lot or Walmart at night, you’re less likely to identify the car license plate number from the camera recordings.

How long does Walmart keep parking lot security tapes?

Depending on the shop, Walmart stores its parking lot surveillance videos a different times. The tapes are typically kept in retailers for at least 30 days. The recordings could be kept in certain establishments for up to 90 days. You will have enough time to reach the store to check the tapes in both cases.

Do Walmart Parking Lot Cameras Record Audio?

Nearly all Walmart CCTV cameras utilized in parking lots lack audio functionality. Parking lot cameras often do not have a separate microphone, which is necessary for audio recording.

The distance between the camera and the parking lot would likely result in poor audio quality, even if a microphone were provided. A CCTV camera may sometimes be linked to a public address system, in which case the camera would be able to capture audio. However, this would be rare since it is not usually done in parking lots. [4]

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Final Takeaway

Every day, thousands of people across the country use Walmart parking lots. And while most parking lot experiences are uneventful, there are, unfortunately, a few bad apples that try to take advantage of the situation. 

This is where Walmart parking lot security cameras come in. These days, parking lot security cameras are more advanced than ever before. They’re equipped with high-definition lenses and can often capture footage in low-light situations.

This is critical, many crimes happen in parking lots at night, and although Walmart cameras can not really see license plate numbers at night, you would still get a framework of the car and the person that will greatly help the investigation of a crime