Apparatus and method for automatic surveillance of a monitored area having one or more regions of interest using a video imaging device are disclosed. The method includes receiving data defining said one or more regions of interest and one or more characteristics of an object of interest; pointing the line of sight of the imaging device at a region of interest selected from said one or more regions of interest; automatically scanning the selected region of interest to detect said one or more characteristics of the object of interest and upon detection issuing an alert; and when said one or more regions of interest includes more than one region of interest, repeating the steps of pointing the line of sight of the imaging device and automatically scanning in a predetermined order of viewing of the regions of interest, and upon detection of said one or more characteristics of the object of interest issuing an alert, for each of the regions of interests.