How many people have you allowed to be in your home when you’re not around? It’s an important question in light of the fact that many of us entrust our homes and possessions to business professionals we assume are not out to steal from us. We allow contractors to work on remodeling jobs while we’re away at the office. We entrust our homes to real estate agents were showing them during open house hours. We even trust our homes and children to babysitters we assume have our best interests in mind. But that’s not always the case, as one Chicago area homeowner found out last month.
As reported by the local news, home security footage from motion sensor cameras captured the real estate agent rifling through kitchen cupboards and cabinets, apparently looking for prescription drugs. The footage shows the agent going through a drawer at first, finding a prescription bottle, then putting it down and closing the drawer. He then went to the front of the home to look out the front window, and then returned to the kitchen with a chair which enabled him to dig through the upper cupboards. Though nothing was stolen, it’s clear the agent was definitely looking for something.
It’s an Unsafe World
It’s unfortunate that we live in the kind of world we do, but that is reality. Gone are the days when we could go to bed at night and leave doors and windows open. Gone are the days when we could accidentally leave items in the yard and trust they would be there when we returned home. And gone are the days when we could blindly trust our real estate agents and other business professionals that might be in our homes alone. That’s where a security system comes in.
A minimum system will at least protect you from things like burglary, fire, and so on. As you add additional components you can protect yourself against almost anything. And as demonstrated by the Chicago story, adding video cameras to your system can help deter criminal activity while you’re away or provide evidence for prosecution should criminals decide to go about their business anyway. Some people have even been known to use video surveillance to find out what the babysitter is doing with the kids when they’re not around.
Remote Monitoring
Today’s home security systems allow a couple of options for remote monitoring. Right off the bat you would probably want home monitoring by the alarm company that installed your system. The monitoring services they offer provide real-time responsiveness whenever there’s an emergency in your home. The alarm company’s operators can assess the situation, notify the proper authorities, and even speak with you remotely to assure you help is on the way.
Alarm Monitoring
A second type of monitoring allows you to keep track of your video feeds using an Internet connection and your laptop, tablet, or mobile device. This kind of monitoring is ideal for situations like the real estate or babysitter problems where an alarm might not necessarily be triggered. You can check your video feeds at any time of the day so you always know what’s going on in your home. As an added bonus, video feeds are a great way to make sure your kids get home safe and sound from school.
If you’re installing a home security system it might be a wise investment for you to spend a little extra money on some video surveillance cameras. The extra benefits they offer make them well worth the money. Especially if you have someone in your house you may not be able to trust.