A system and method that detects and identifies an event from a sequence of images received. The system comprises a control unit that receives and processes the sequence of images from the camera. The control unit identifies at least one stationary image prior to the event and one stationary image subsequent to the event. The control unit compares one or more representations corresponding to one or more edges in the first stationary image with one or more representations corresponding to one or more edges in the second stationary image to determine whether an object has been deposited or removed during the event.