I actually advised them of the security risk of exposed wiring when they installed them, but they just wanted them up and running. I recommended the cams, which were bought from Andy via Amazon, and I configured an old Lenovo desktop computer with BI for them and set that up on their network. These cams went into service two and a half years ago with nobody touching them in all that time. Two years farther out, and that building will likely not exist any more.
The problem is that the person in charge of that area of the building was not regularly checking the cams. They were disabled for a week before he noticed. When I was called and checked on it, the BI install is saying "Evaluation" ... which I thought was odd. They obviously never renewed the "support" subscription, but I didn't think BI would slap that overlay on the video...
The computer is on a static ip and blocked from the internet at the router. I will have to get BI to a more current version-- it is running 5 and using substreams. I will ask them about putting those cams on junction boxes-- but I doubt they will. The thinking is the kid would just lift the drop ceiling tile and cut it there, and there's no way they are running hard conduit 200 feet to the switch.
Another way to look at it is this-- The other option a kid would do is to physically destroy the cams-- and the one who cut the wire would have just as easily taken a bat to the cam. A cut wire was actually the second least destructive -- unplugging the ethernet to disable being less of course.