Case Study: How We Secured a 12-Location Retail Chain Across Dubai with Hikvision 4K CCTV

The Challenge

Client: Mid-sized retail chain with 12 outlets across Dubai (Deira, Business Bay, Dubai Marina, Mirdif, Jumeirah, Al Quoz, and DIFC).

Problems identified:

• Each outlet had a different legacy CCTV system installed by different companies at different times
• No central monitoring — each outlet viewed independently
• Four outlets had non-functional cameras
• No mobile access for the security manager
• Footage retention was 7 to 10 days — well below the 30-day SIRA requirement
• Two theft incidents went unresolved due to poor footage quality

Our Approach

Phase 1: Full Site Survey (1 week)

We surveyed all 12 outlets and found: 31 of 67 existing cameras were non-compliant (below SIRA resolution), 8 outlets had no proper cashier coverage, average retention was 9 days, no central monitoring capability.

Phase 2: System Design

• Camera: Hikvision DS-2CD2T47G2-L (4MP ColorVu) for indoor retail
• Camera: Hikvision 4K with spotlight for cashier and entry points
• NVR: Hikvision 16-channel with face detection per outlet
• Storage: 4TB per NVR (32-day retention)
• Central platform: Hikvision HikCentral Professional
• Total: 96 cameras across 12 outlets

Phase 3: Rollout

2 outlets per week over 6 weeks. All work during business hours with minimal disruption. Each outlet: 2 days (cabling day 1, installation and configuration day 2).

Phase 4: Central Monitoring

HikCentral Professional on cloud server: live view of all 96 cameras from single interface, motion alerts to security manager's phone, cross-site search, daily health check report.

Outcomes

• SIRA compliance: 100%
• Retention: 32 days at all outlets
• Coverage: Zero blind spots
• Incident resolution: Within 3 weeks, one theft resolved using new footage (perpetrator identified, footage submitted to Dubai Police)
• Security manager: I can check all 12 stores from my phone in under 2 minutes.

Project Cost

Annual IT AMC (CCTV included): AED 28,000.

Retail CCTV Case Study: Frequently Asked Questions

How long did it take to roll out CCTV across all 12 retail locations? Six weeks, at a pace of 2 outlets per week, with each outlet completed in 2 days (cabling on day one, installation and configuration on day two) to minimize disruption to trading.

What was wrong with the retail chain's original CCTV setup? 31 of 67 existing cameras were below SIRA-compliant resolution, average footage retention was only 9 days against the 30-day requirement, 8 outlets had no proper cashier coverage, and there was no central monitoring across locations.

What camera system was used for the retail CCTV rollout? Hikvision 4MP ColorVu cameras for general indoor retail coverage, 4K with spotlight for cashier and entry points, 16-channel NVRs with 4TB storage per outlet for 32-day retention, and HikCentral Professional for centralized monitoring across all 12 sites.

What was the total cost of the 12-location CCTV rollout? AED 199,000 for the full project (96 cameras, NVRs, cabling, licensing, and training), plus an ongoing AED 28,000 annual IT AMC covering the CCTV system.

Planning a multi-site CCTV rollout in Dubai? Contact SAS IT | +971-526716178

Related: Commercial CCTV Installation Dubai | IT AMC Dubai