Nearly 60 percent of convicted burglars would think twice about breaking into someone’s home if they knew it had security cameras. These devices are an effective deterrent to crime that when installed properly can protect your home while respecting the privacy of your neighbors and guests.
In 2012, a team of researchers at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte asked 422 convicted burglars questions about why and how they committed their crime¹. They found installing a visible set of security cameras was the most effective step someone could take to keep someone from breaking into their home.
Having an alarm system, having a dog inside the home, and leaving a vehicle in the driveway were also effective deterrents to crime according to the study as they would give at least half of those surveyed a reason think twice about breaking in to someone’s place.
But there are some concerns that these devices might violate a person’s right to privacy by recording them when they don’t want to be recorded. Home security system manufacturer Protect America offers a few tips to alleviate these concerns:
- Orient your cameras so they film only your property and don’t capture any images from the road, sidewalk, or another public place where people might be,
- Don’t let your cameras peek over a fence or into a window where they might accidentally film your neighbor while he or she is enjoying themselves on their property, and
- Don’t install cameras inside a bedroom, bathroom, or any other place where a guest who stays at your home might have a reasonable expectation for privacy².
Want to learn more about security camera systems and get the names of companies in your area that install them? Call Mennonite Insurance today at 559-638-2327 or e-mail [email protected].
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