Trends in Home Video Surveillance--How Smart Are They?

Now that people can hook up a remotely-accessible home surveillance program with a PC and a webcam or three, the trend is really taking off in many households. Those techy folks who like to try out the latest toys, hurry out to buy software programs designed to let you check your home cameras from the office, and they get a big kick out of it. And there's nothing wrong with this; it's fun. But is it home security? Eh, not really. Let's take a look at why:

Let's say I'm a professional burglar. I stroll through your back door (you know, the one with the flimsy lock you've been meaning to replace for years), steal all your stuff, and wave to your webcam on the way out. Maybe your motion-detecting software captured my picture. Big deal. I was wearing a mask. Maybe you had a high-speed camera that called your cell phone when it detected movement. By the time you logged in, verified the cat hadn't knocked the camera on the floor, and called the police, I was walking out the door with all your valuables. I was already on the freeway when the sirens sounded in your neighborhood. I guess it's too bad you spent $500 on software and home surveillance cameras instead of $50 on upgrading all the door and window locks in your house.

Now, I'm not here to say that you, faithful reader, would make this kind of mistake, but it does seem to be the trend lately. People spend tons on the fanciest, most state-of-the-art, expensive home security system with all the bells and whistles... and then they don't lock the front door when they leave the house. 

Technology is great, but we have to realize the biggest deterrents to burglars are common sense and surprisingly low-cost solutions. Go ahead and buy the video surveillance cameras, but first, make sure you have solid doors that can't be kicked in. Replace doors with glass windows or panels (which can easily be broken) with solid doors with a peep hole. If you have glass windows next to the front door, have the glass reinforced (otherwise the burglar can simply break the glass, reach in, and unlock the door from the inside). 

Other smart investments you can make are motion-sensing lights for the front and back yards. Burglars like dark, shadowy nooks to hide in and do their work in. Don't accommodate them; keep your yard bright. Also, you can deter burglars with landscaping, believe it or not. A thorny shrub planted under your bedroom window is an obstacle few thieves are going to climb through to get in. 

For more on landscaping as part of a home security plan, read our article called: Modify Your Landscaping to Protect Your House from Burglars 

For more on security lighting, read Outdoor Security Lighting: Are You Making the Wrong Choice?

Thanks for reading, and stay safe!