Home Surveillance Systems: Keeping Your Property Secure

Even with a moat, armed guards, and tigers roaming the perimeter, you can't necessarily stop every criminal that wants to forge an attack on your house. There are things you can do to minimize your chances of becoming a victim, however. Good locks, following basic safety tips, and home surveillance systems are some of the things you can implement to reduce the likelihood of burglars and other criminals targeting your home. Here are some tips on keeping your property safe from those who would wish to do you harm.

1. Cameras. Home surveillance systems wouldn't be much without cameras. Today's cameras can range in price and effectiveness, but even the cheapest camera is better than nothing. If you want to spend a little more, you can get a high definition setup with sound, motion control, remote access, and many other options. To go along with your cameras, you can get a viewing station, video recording technology, and software that will help you edit and store the footage. Just the sight of cameras is enough to send many criminals in search of easier prey.

2. Alarms. Home surveillance systems can be effectively augmented with alarms. These alarms can be of the shrieking, wake-up-the-neighborhood variety, or they can put a call into local law enforcement. Some alarm systems have dual features that can do both or either, depending on what you want to set up. Many homes choose to put out an "advertisement" when they install these alarms, warning burglars and home invaders what they are up against. Again, this can sometimes work as a deterrent.

3. Neighbors. One of the most powerful safety measures is the neighborhood watch. We live in an increasingly isolated society. Twenty years ago, everyone in the neighborhood knew each other, the kids played together, and everyone watched out for everyone else. Today, this isn't always the case and criminals know it. If you don't know who should be in your neighbor's yard, there's little way to know whether or not you're overreacting to a perceived threat. Get to know the people around you. Ask them to keep an eye on your home if you're going to be out of town. A little vigilance can go a long way.

4. Don't be a target. There are things that criminals look for when they decide to target a house. Overgrown vegetation in the yard, newspapers piling up in the driveway, a routine schedule that never varies. These are invitations for trouble. Even before looking into home surveillance systems, you should make sure you aren't sending out a signal that your house is ripe for the picking.