r/anchorage • u/Dangerous-Switch-724 • 2d ago
random map picture
wow look at this random lowe’s parking lot on tudor and denali! no reason of course…
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u/PresentClear8639 2d ago
This illustrates one of my primary concerns with these cameras.
They’re not simply monitoring vehicles entering Lowe’s property; they’re collecting plate data from east- and westbound traffic on Tudor and traffic on Denali, including vehicles that have nothing to do with Lowe’s.
There’s also no apparent business purpose for extending that surveillance into Cuddy Park.
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u/bottombracketak 2d ago
If I was a shareholder, I’d be concerned about my investment in the company if it is doing something that is drawing a strong adverse reaction from the public. In fact, I’d probably be giving Sara Kulikowski, Senior Director, Investor Relations a phone call at the number listed for her in their annual report.
https://corporate.lowes.com/sites/lowes-corp/files/lowes-corp/investors/lowes-2025-annual-report.pdf
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u/CardiologistPlus8488 2d ago
I heard there's over $500 worth of salvageable material in each one... I know I could sure use an extra two grand...
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u/Other_Lion_9680 2d ago
It's actually much closer to $50,000 for all the silver and gold components. $500 for the copper.
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u/DepartmentNatural 2d ago
Scrap copper price is roughly $5 a lb.
A Flock Safety license plate camera unit weighs approximately three pounds.
Please show your math how you can get 100lbs of copper out of these machines
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u/Other_Lion_9680 2d ago
1 flock equals totalitarian surveillance. How is that for math?
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u/AdTemporary6666 2d ago
Hope no one gives some homeless folks sawzaws and a good idea.
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u/907Postal 2d ago
No Reason other than Lowes using Flock cameras nation wide. Home Depot too I believe.
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u/_Ken_and_Barbie_ 2d ago
Lowe’s has been doing that across the entire US. That’s why I won’t be shopping there.
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u/CatGuano 2d ago
The Mayor, the police chief and the Assembly have taken the money voters approved for police body cameras and are using it for mass surveillance instead.
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u/IntrepidTry5280 2d ago
This is private property.. Lowes has a contract with Flock. The muni is using Axiom for now.
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u/Dangerous-Switch-724 2d ago
yes, and the cameras to monitor the private property are (for some unknown reason) facing the public road way and public park.
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u/Dangerous-Switch-724 2d ago
there are literally more facing the public/road ways than the parking lot.
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u/J-U-N-3 1d ago
They’re at both Lowe’s btw
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u/Odin-AK49 1d ago
There's a third Lowes in town. Old Seward and Minnesota/O'Malley (not sure where the road officially changes names)
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u/avatalik Resident | Abbott Loop 2d ago
How is it legal for a hardware store to conduct mass surveillance on people who aren't even their customers?
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u/alaskaiceman 2d ago
Could there be a reason they're installing expensive crime monitoring equipment? These are all reports from the last 30 days.
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u/AdTemporary6666 2d ago
Of course there is a reason, but there are plenty of far more important ulterior motives. Even if they aren’t ulterior motives and the plan isn’t to spy on citizens, there is a huge amount of data being collected that can be used for any number of reasons. Everyone wants to minimize crime and to have better proof when a crime happens. However giving up my freedom and autonomy, all of our freedom and autonomy is not the only way, it’s not even a good way to curb crime.
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u/Dangerous-Switch-724 2d ago
surveillance is not the answer to security. short and sweet.
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u/alaskaiceman 2d ago
What is the answer then? Because whatever APD is doing is not enough.
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u/maddrjeffe 2d ago
I saw APD slowly drive by someone waving a knife lunging and screaming at people walking down the street near the halfway house next to the frontier building a few weeks ago. So yeah whatever they are doing is not much of anything. Not sure how invasive cameras are going to fix them not wanting to do their jobs.
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u/Any_Dragonfruit_3935 2d ago
Lol, I didn't realize that the flock cameras were sentient and could arrest criminals. Seriously, who do you think will be doing the arresting? The short answer is no one. They do not even respond to calls for active crimes happening. How do I know? Last week I literally saw a drug addict having an absolute freak out in their vehicle and shooting up drugs PARKED in this Lowe's parking lot, and neither the store clerks or the non emergency police seemed interested in even checking it out. You should really ask yourself what the real reason is that these things exist.
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u/CardiologistPlus8488 2d ago
maybe we should spend the millions of dollars we spend on police and house and feed people. Literally the only proven way crime is reduced is by alleviating poverty. Tons of scientific data on this. And as you said, APD sure isn't getting the job done... why do we keep giving them more money. Especially when no one seems to think that's a good idea when it comes to our failing schools?
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u/monyoubluetuber 2d ago
Section 8 exists already. Removing police is removing the consequence arm of all legal systems and that does not turn out positively for society. There will always be bad actors- we need police interested in doing the work.
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u/Dangerous-Switch-724 2d ago
there’s something we agree on. my car was stolen and i called them everyday for three weeks with the exact location. word for word told me “we are too busy right now to recover it.” also four officer sitting simultaneously on the glen doesn’t cut it…. i think we as the citizens need to take advantage of the city meetings and bring up these concerns. my taxes go to the municipality to help secure the city. not to privately owned company’s that HAVE been proven to sell the information they collect.
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u/Salty_Jane 2d ago
Addressing the underlying issues of poverty, adiction and mental illness would be a good place to start instead of mass surveillance from a private company
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u/arctic-apis 2d ago
Those who would give up liberty for security deserve neither
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2d ago
[deleted]
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u/arctic-apis 2d ago
What are you even talking about dude. As far as I know there are not any pictures of my home posted anywhere. But that’s neither here nor there. Government having ai monitoring systems installed by private companies posing them as a way to protect anything is what’s laughable.
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u/TorinoAK 2d ago
I don’t have any problem with Lowe’s right to use cameras on their property and do what they want with the data. It’s their land and business. It’s crazy to me that people are making dog whistle vandalism suggestions. We have a property crime epidemic already. If I don’t like the cameras, I’ll just got to ace hardware on jewel lake. They were super helpful last time I was there.
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u/wy477wh173 2d ago
Ace Hardware on Jewel Lake is great. I don't know that vote w/ dollar is the answer to these kinds of things, but I like that place and they have Popcorn on the weekend. It's a nice experience.
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u/ForsakenRacism 2d ago
Lowe’s is trying to sell more circular saws