24/7 SECURITY

Bank Video Surveillance, Watched Live 24/7

Trained operators watch your branch and ATM cameras around the clock, speak through on-site speakers and contact police when something is wrong.

Security systems for banks combine cameras, alarms, access control, vault protection and ATM safeguards, and they work best when someone is watching in real time. Monitex Security adds that live layer: trained operators monitor a bank’s branch and ATM cameras around the clock, challenge intruders by loudspeaker and alert police the moment a threat is confirmed. The service suits community banks, credit unions and other financial institutions that need reliable protection for branches and ATMs without the cost of guards at every location.

Key Takeaways

A bank security system has several layers. Monitex provides the live monitoring layer that turns your cameras into an active response.
Operators watch branches, ATM vestibules, drive-up ATMs and parking areas every minute of the day, and act when something looks wrong.
Federal rules expect banks to be able to identify offenders, preserve evidence and notify police quickly. Live video monitoring supports all three.
ATM attacks are rising even as branch robberies fall, so ATMs deserve their own coverage plan.
Monitex works with the cameras a bank already has, so there’s no system to rip out and replace.

Security Systems for Banks and ATMs, Monitored Live

Security is non-negotiable for a financial institution, whatever its size. Large banks have security departments. Community banks and credit unions often have a camera system, an alarm contract and a lot of ground to cover: a steady flow of clients, ATMs open 24/7, and cash on site.

Cameras and alarms record and report. They don’t respond. Monitex adds the missing piece to security systems for banks: trained operators who watch your cameras live, warn intruders over loudspeakers, and send police while it still matters.

What a Bank Security System Includes

Most bank security systems are built in layers. Here’s what each one does, and where Monitex fits.

Layer	What it does	Monitex’s role
Video surveillance	Records lobbies, teller lines, entrances and ATMs	Operators watch your cameras live
Alarms and intrusion detection	Signal a break-in or hold-up	Video lets an operator see what triggered it
Access control	Limits who reaches vaults and back offices	Stays with your provider; cameras show who is at the door
Vault and cash protection	Secures currency and valuables	Cameras cover the approaches
ATM safeguards	Protect machines and the people using them	Monitored cameras and loudspeakers
Live monitoring and response	Verifies threats and gets help moving	Monitex’s core service

Monitex doesn’t replace your alarm company or your vault. It makes the cameras you already own do more.

The solution: 24/7 Remote Monitoring

Effective

With every angle covered by our cameras, we prevent break-ins, robbery, and ATM theft. We partner with low-voltage tech companies to install loudspeakers around your property, using them to deter prospective criminals when suspicious activity is noticed.

Affordable

At a fraction of the price of employing security guards, remote video surveillance is budget-friendly, no matter the size of your enterprise.

Versatile

Beyond typical security scenarios, our virtual surveillance also provides a deterrent for internal theft, recorded video playback for later reference and insight into employee productivity.

No Downtime

With shifts of highly trained virtual guards observing the screens every minute of the day, your bank is never exposed. Day or night, any time of year, every inch is under our watchful eyes.

Don’t leave your ATMs exposed

A dark night, a machine full of cash and nobody nearby: ATMs are an obvious target. They’re also where attacks are growing.

In February 2026, the FBI warned that ATM “jackpotting” is on the rise, with more than 700 incidents in 2025 and about $20 million in losses, as reported by the American Bankers Association.

Jackpotting starts with someone physically opening the machine to install malware or hardware. Other attacks are cruder: skimming devices fitted to the card slot, or a chain and a truck used to rip the machine open overnight.

All of them have one thing in common. Someone has to stand at the ATM, doing something a customer wouldn’t. Monitex operators watch ATM vestibules, drive-ups and standalone machines for exactly that: a person lingering, working on the machine, or backing a vehicle up to it. They issue a warning over the loudspeaker and dispatch police if it continues.

Our guide to ATM theft and fraud prevention covers these attacks in more detail.

ATM Security Needs Its Own Plan

ATMs face a different kind of attack from a branch, and it’s growing. In February 2026, the FBI warned that jackpotting is rising, with more than 700 incidents in 2025 and about $20 million in losses, the American Bankers Association reported.

Jackpotting starts with someone physically opening the machine to reach its hardware. Other problems are simpler: a skimmer fitted to the card slot, or loitering in a vestibule late at night. Each one puts a person at the machine doing something a customer wouldn’t.

Our operators watch ATM vestibules, drive-ups and standalone machines for exactly that, warn the person through the speaker and contact police if it continues. Our guide to ATM theft and fraud prevention covers each attack in detail.

What Federal and State Rules Expect

The Bank Protection Act requires banks to run a written security program. Rules for national banks, Federal Reserve member banks and FDIC-supervised institutions ask for procedures that help identify people who commit crimes, and each names a camera recording the banking office as one way to do it. Required devices include a vault or safe, tamper-resistant locks and an alarm or other device that promptly notifies police.

Federally insured credit unions have a similar duty. NCUA rules call for a written program that protects each office and helps identify offenders, without naming cameras.

States can add more. As one example, New York’s ATM Safety Act calls for cameras at ATM facilities and recordings kept for at least 45 days. Check your state’s rules.

Live monitoring supports a security program, but your security officer still owns it. If you’re also reviewing camera hardware, our guide to federal rules on surveillance equipment explains where financial services fits in the FCC’s 2026 changes.

Simple Set-up

Getting started with Monitex security can be a matter of a few hours, and never more than a few days.

Quote

Our team analyzes your banking premises and any existing security measures, giving you a custom quote for a strong surveillance plan.

Connect

Our partnered low-voltage tech companies install speakers, connect your cameras and configure them to integrate with our state-of-the-art system.

Stream

Streaming continuous live footage from your bank, our remote guards watch out for threats and suspicious activity, reacting swiftly if anything is noticed.

Secure

They’ll issue warnings via loudspeaker, dispatch law enforcement where necessary and communicate closely with the police department to apprehend the criminals efficiently.

Relax

You’re free to focus on other aspects of your business, knowing that under the watchful eyes of our skilled team, your property is safe from damage or theft.

What to Look for in a Bank Security Company

Bank security companies range from alarm dealers to camera vendors to monitoring providers, so start by asking who responds when something happens.

Who watches the cameras: trained people, or software that sends alerts?
What triggers a call to police, and who makes that call?
Can they work with your existing cameras and your alarm company?
What do you receive after an incident?
How do they keep each location’s instructions and contact list current?
Do they promise compliance? Your security officer owns the program, so treat that promise with care.

Monitex Security is a monitoring company. Our trained operators are the service, and you can see how they work in our case results and on our live video monitoring page.

Security Systems for Banks FAQs

Are banks required to have security cameras?

Federal rules stop short of requiring one. They list a camera recording the banking office as one way to help identify offenders, while an alarm or similar device for notifying police is required. In practice, cameras were in place in nearly every bank crime the FBI counted in 2023, and state rules can add specific requirements.

How long should banks keep surveillance footage?

The federal bank security rules don’t set a period. State law can: New York requires ATM recordings to be kept for at least 45 days, as one example. Set your retention period with your security officer and counsel, and check your state’s rules.

Do bank security cameras record audio?

Audio is treated differently from video. Federal wiretap law covers spoken conversations and doesn’t cover silent video, and state recording laws can be stricter. Recording audio in a lobby or at a teller line needs legal review first.

Does live monitoring make our bank compliant?

No. Compliance depends on your whole security program, which your security officer runs. Live monitoring can support the parts the rules care about, such as identifying people and getting police notified quickly, but no monitoring service makes a bank compliant by itself.

Does live monitoring replace our alarm company?

No. Your alarm still does its job. Live monitoring adds people watching the cameras, so an operator can see what’s happening and act on it. Tell us which alarm and camera systems you use, and we’ll go over how they work alongside the service.

Can Monitex Security use our existing cameras?

Usually, yes. We link the cameras you already have to our platform and add speakers where you want a live voice. We check night-time image quality first and flag any camera that falls short.

Can you monitor ATMs that aren't at a branch?

Yes. A standalone or drive-up ATM needs cameras, power and an internet connection, and then it can be watched like a branch. Remote machines tend to get the least attention, so list them when you contact us.

How does live monitoring compare with an on-site guard?

A guard can step in physically but covers one location during a shift. Operators can’t step in physically, but they watch every connected camera around the clock and can reach police and speak through on-site speakers. Guards were on duty in 153 of the 1,362 crimes in the FBI’s 2023 report, and some institutions use both.

Can you cover several branches or credit union locations?

Yes. Monitex Security serves clients nationwide, and each location gets its own instructions, watch hours and contact list. List every branch and ATM when you contact us, so nothing gets left out.

Can we use the footage in a fraud or police investigation?

Yes. After an incident, you receive a report with timestamped footage that you can share with police, your security officer or a fraud team. Footage is only as useful as the camera angle, so we flag gaps during the review of each location.