Armchair detectives in the UK are being offered the chance to spot criminals on CCTV and report their misdemeanours to police, a UK company has said.

Internet Eyes will be offering spotters rewards if they spot a crime, such as shoplifting, and notify the victim.

The company said many CCTV systems are not regularly monitored by security guards in real time and are simply used for providing evidence if a suspect is caught.

It has now developed the technology to link CCTV cameras from a number of businesses and relay the images to people’s homes.

A statement on the firm’s website states: “With Internet Eyes, everyday people (i.e. the public) will be able to monitor store video cameras over the internet in real-time.

“If they see someone shoplifting, they can immediately notify store owners. In other words, crime can be stopped as it happens.”

There will be monthly cash prizes for what the firm calls “net-cops”. Its bosses also hope viewers will be attracted to the thrill of possibly catching a criminal while businesses, for a small fee, will want to have somebody watching their CCTV.

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