Security cameras and thieves

[NotAGolf]

I was thinking about installing some security cameras outside my home, but I can't decide if it's a good idea or not, so I'm turning to good ol' GD for their opinion!

I can't decide if having security cameras installed* would result in more or less chance of theft. I see three options (Possibly one for a poll please mods)

A) Thieves would be less likely to steal as the cameras would act as a deterrent
B) Thieves would be more likely to steal as the cameras indicate there's something worth protecting inside
C) Thieves gonna thieve, regardless of the cameras

*Easily visible from the roadside.

 

[Semple]

Frankly it would be a case of all 3.

If a thief knew there was something valuable inside your home, then a camera wouldn't stop them.

I think B would have been more prevalent maybe 15-20 years ago, if you saw a house back in 2000 with CCTV on it you'd assume there must be valuables inside. With CCTV now being much more affordable, and in a lot of cases DIY - set up your own cameras. A lot more houses are having them installed, so it looks less likely that they'll contain lots of valuables.

 

[bignev72]

I think you're better off having them than not.

I installed a ring door bell a couple of months ago and it paid off this week. I got a notification at 2am in the morning to say someone was detected outside. I expected to see a fox or something but it was actually two guys trying to get into our cars. I quickly turned on all the lights and they ran off. I've since ordered two ring security camera for the house.

If I hadn't of had my ring doorbell then perhaps one of our cars would have been stolen or maybe they might have tried to break in the house.

 

[Bug One]

Ring have a sale on at the moment, and their new Door View Cam seems like a steal. It's not a full 'CCTV' setup - but for £80, it's a good start and a bit of a deterrant.

 

[Uther]

We've got a Ring doorbell which is useful for when Amazon delivery guys just dump stuff at the door and run which is happening more and more often.
I have fitted a security camera on the shed which also covers where the cars are parked as one of the neighbours got theirs keyed a while back (I think it was personal, an ex boyfriend)
Tbh though it might be a bit of a deterrent to a casual scumbag, but most thieves know there could be cameras so just cover their faces now and carry on.

 

[Quartz]

Doesn't Ring require a subscription to be of real use? I'd rather have an IP camera hooked up to an old PC.

 

[Bug One]

£2.50 a month. Depends how much you can be arsed with all the work to set it up, compared to paying a couple of quid a month.

How much does the electricity to run a second PC 24/7 cost?

 

[Dyson]

I installed one a few years ago when our town had a bit of a crime wave. My hope was that it would be a deterrent, along with our alarm, and get them to try an easier property.

 

[Rroff]

If you've got something desirable and likely to be a specific target to steal like a high end car parked on your drive they'll not be put off by cameras, there is a chance it might produce evidence but in a lot of cases little useful. It will put off opportunists and less-organised types who'll look for an easier target instead but some just won't care. Doubt many thieves these days will assume cameras = something to protect but it might result in some of the more organised types casing you to see if you do have something worth stealing.

End of the day if something does happen without cameras you've potentially got nothing, with cameras potentially you might get something and/or chance it will result in some looking for an easier target instead.

 

[Quartz]

To back up your camera, can I suggest a Phalanx?

 

[Relentless81]

I've got a couple of blink cameras, one on the side looking down at the gate and one at the rear looking down at the patio door

They are so small that you wouldn't notice them at night and can barely see them in the day


The main reason I have them is for the notification, they are set on a schedule so only come in an night, if anyone pokes around my house at night they'll set them off and I'll get a notification

Either way, cameras or not and has had been said, if you have a desirable car they will come after it regardless

 

[Terminal_Boy]

An all-around CCTV system with an alarm system from a reputable alarm company will deter casual/opportunistic thieves.

Nothing short of attack dogs and armed security will deter professional thieves that know you’ve got something worth taking.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

I've got 3x Blinks but on Wednesday I took a punt on a £59 Ring Video Doorbell and it's excellent.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

Doesn't Ring require a subscription to be of real use? I'd rather have an IP camera hooked up to an old PC.

I use nest and the subscription is £100 a year unlimited cameras and you get 30 days saved to the cloud.

Saving to a pc you need a very large hard drive. Then you run the risk if they break in they can steal it. Also the cost of th NVR and of added on top of the electric and then the noise of the fans.

Cloud storage is far more beneficial. Easier to view from anywhere in the world.

I have both. And I prefer cloud to my NVR

 

[SexyGreyFox]

Doesn't Ring require a subscription to be of real use? I'd rather have an IP camera hooked up to an old PC.

My 3x Blinks are free cloud storage, I won't need my Ring Doorbell recording because one of my Blinks will pick it up.
If I do decide to save Ring videos it costs £25 a year per device.

 

[ANDARIAL]

Sentry gun like in the Alien film

Only way to be sure

 

[bainbridge]

If I was a burglar I'd certainly move onto an easier target if confronted with cameras. Having said that, we don't have them and I'm reluctant to introduce yet another layer of technology to monitor and maintain. We've covered the basics:

• Close all downstairs windows at night
• Security lights front and rear
• Deadlocks on front and back door of the house are locked at night
• Main garage door has a medieval style 4x4 fence post going across the inside of the door between 2 large square hooks
• Rear garage door has a piece of thick ply screwed over the upper panel which is glass.
• Home insurance to cover the value of our goods.

I'm the sort of person who would be checking the feed every few minutes, so CCTV is not for me.

 

[Abyss]

C) Thieves gonna thieve, regardless of the cameras

As harsh as it sounds my approach is making our house less desirable than others; i.e. thieves are going to thieve but it doesn't have to be our house.

My focus has been primarily on physical security, lighting and cameras.

• Good quality door locks (Avocet ABS). We are on a new build estate where almost everyone has the same type of lock with internal thumb turn. Having different/better quality locks is an instant deterrent and I'm already aware of a couple of break ins where they used the thumbturn through the letter box. I've even put Avocet on the garage doors which is probably overkill given you could probably force it open but gives the perception.
  
  
• Good lighting - I have external lighting to the front that is on dusk until dawn, and security lighting that is linked to both PIR and the ring door bells going off. There's pretty much no way to get to the house without going through a well lit area or setting of a floodlight
  
  
• CCTV - 3 CCTV cameras covering the property 24/7, then 2 ring doorbells (front door and driveway door)
  
  
• Keys - We have a farraday cage key box wall mounted downstairs that is visible inside the house but not from any windows/doors. Means they are safe from wireless repeaters used to steal cars, but if a thief is inside the house they can make a quick exit without venturing upstairs.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

I'm the sort of person who would be checking the feed every few minutes, so CCTV is not for me.

For about a week until the honeymoon period is over.

 

[Bug One]

For about a week until the honeymoon period is over.

Yer. That 'alert' for motion setting soon got turned off.