Surveillance cameras installed in a high-rise residential community in Hefei, East China's Anhui Province help prevent people from tossing trash and other objects from their window. Photo: Screenshot from a video by Pear Video

A residential community in East China has installed 127 upward-looking surveillance cameras to prevent residents from tossing garbage from the windows of their high-rise apartments.   

According to an employee of the management company for the 14-buillding high-rise community in Hefei, capital of Anhui Province, a number of residents have reported falling objects, including beer cans, cigarette butts and even bricks. 

Before the cameras were installed, property managers had no way to identify residents who were endangering people on the ground.  

"The garbage tossing has all but ended since the installation of the cameras which cover every building from every angle, and can clearly watch people putting their hand out of the window and dropping things," the employee said in a Pear Video that was posted online. 

The upward-looking cameras account for less than half of the 300 cameras that were recently installed throughout the community at a cost of 300,000 yuan ($42,620), which the staffer said aims to ensure the safety of residents and will not invade people's privacy.

"I support the move as it can stop bad behavior and ensure people's safety," said a netizen on Sina Weibo.

"Do we need that many cameras?" another asked.

China's Supreme People's Court released a document on measures aimed at preventing and punishing people who throw objects from high-rise buildings, according to media reports.

Pear Video