Could CCTV and ATM records show different times?¶

Yes. CCTV and ATM records can show different times even when they capture the same event.

Avoid this assumption: One record must be wrong if the timestamps do not match exactly.

The ATM may use one internal clock, while the CCTV system uses another.

One may record local time and the other Coordinated Universal Time. Daylight-saving changes, manual clock settings, delayed synchronisation or inaccurate system clocks can also create differences.

The ATM record may timestamp authorisation, cash dispense or completion. The CCTV may show when the person approached, inserted the card, collected the cash or left.

These are separate events and may not be expected to match to the second.

Preserve the original timestamps from both systems, including any time-zone or offset information.

Ask the ATM operator and CCTV owner how their clocks are set, whether they are synchronised and whether known drift or error exists.

Use a fixed event to test alignment where possible. This might be card insertion, receipt printing, cash dispense or a visible terminal message.

Do not alter the original evidence. Create a working comparison that records the offset applied and the reason.

A consistent difference of several minutes may be explained by clock drift. An inconsistent difference may require further investigation.

Do not reject CCTV merely because its displayed time differs from the bank statement.

Likewise, do not force the footage to fit an assumed timeline without documenting the adjustment.

When reporting, explain which timestamps came from which systems and how they were reconciled.

Operational takeaway¶

Compare ATM and CCTV clocks as separate systems, preserve their original times and document any justified offset before aligning the events.