Can I sue over deleted cctv?

[OpenEye]

I got my bag stolen in a bar and i highly suspected it was one of the staff. I requested the cctv footage but they refused to give it to me. FInally the police went there and they told them they had checked it and there was nothing interesting on there so they deleted it....can I sue them for the cost of my loses?
This was in a bar in London by the way! Thanks in advance for your answers
This was in a bar in London by the way! Thanks in advance for your answers
it was not a chain, just a little bar. I reported immediately to the police and requested to see the footage straight after that. I asked again and again each day after with no luck! I asked in person not in a letter so maybe I messed up there. Whats so bad about it is that another bag got stolen after and they looked at the cctv for that and the guy was arrested..why would they not do this for me?! I heard that if they do not show you the footage within 40 days they are liable for you loses...this was in an artical in the guardian!

[gasman]

Hi open eye,

Most bars systems are not the best you get what you pay for, also most venues only keep the tapes for approx 10 days and then reuse the tapes if they using that type of system, also the possibility they did not show you the footage is data protection act, or they did not have any footage to show because there system is a dummy system. As for sueing them for the loss of property I'm not sure best is to get advice from your local citizens advice beurea, they may be able to high light on what steps you can take.

[rescueme]

They have no legal responsibility to show you any CCTV. The Police would view it and make any decisions from there, you wouldn't be viewing any CCTV unless the Police showed it to you as part of their investigation.

As for trying to sue the bar for your losses - the bar has no responsibilty for your belongings so I am not sure how it is their fault!?

[Marian]

Mate watch you language please, there is no need of it in these forums.

Regarding CCTV, old video tape systems recording on VHS are usually kept for about a week due to amount off tapes you have to store, on new HDD systems it can be stored as long as the HDD capacity allows, usually it is up to about a month and then it loops and rewrites same space, but if there is any thing you want to keep you can burn it on CD or DVD.

There is no law saying that you must have CCTV system in operation unless for example local council in issued licence specified so.
It's not surprising for me thay they din't have it, many venues although they have the system, they don't have anybody taking care of equipment, so effectively it is not working or working poorly, so if police asks they rather say they din't catch anything on it instead of admiting it wasn't working, because for example tape wasn't there, it is sad but true and common.

But most important however, is that your coat, or bag if not left in the cloakroom is YOUR OWN RESPONSIBILITY, and most of the venues will inform about it on separate board at the entrance, otherway anyone could sue them for his/her own recklessness.

[coffeegirl]

Nice to see so wonderful comments!

Yeah the police might got no clue from the Surveillance system .

a). CCTV system ( DVR) will cover the former record when the HDD has no more space.

b). Some CCTV system can set certain zone on the screen to record. Like our DVR would divide the detected screen to 16x12 zones, only the appointed zone have any motion will cause the system to record..

If unluckily your venues is not in the detective zone, police will see no more record.

So I think it might be a little troublesome to sue them.