If you’re wondering, “How can I prevent my security cameras from being stolen?” It means that you already have a security camera. You purchased it to protect your home, business, or car, but now you want to know how to protect your investment.
“How can I prevent my security cameras from being stolen?”
How can I prevent my security cameras from being stolen? Follow these easy steps:
- Mount the security cameras high
- Install them in discreet locations
- Screw the cameras to the walls
- Be at Peace with your Neighbors
- Always lock your gate
- Use a security camera cage
- Buy Security cameras with Cloud Video Storage and continuous recording
Security cameras can be a great way to monitor your home when you’re not there. However, you don’t want to come home and find that your security cameras are gone, do you? Unfortunately, thieves often target security cameras because they can sell for a good price.
If you have a home security camera system installed, the last thing you want to worry about is if your cameras have been stolen.
If this sounds like something that worries you, you need to take the following precautions.
How To Keep Your Outdoor Security Camera From Being Stolen
1. Mount the security cameras high
When installing outdoor security cameras, proper height is critical. Generally, the recommended mounting height is 2 m to 3 m high (8 to 10 feet).
Mounting them too low can lead to vandalism. However, do not mount it too high either, as the field of view and sensitivity for motion detection will deteriorate. The following points should also be observed.
- For DVR / NVR, find a location where you can easily get the wires/cables in or out.
- Install an outdoor wireless camera in a location with a good WiFi signal.
- Keep away from combustible materials.
- Provide adequate lighting, and you can monitor clearly at night.
- Do not install in the corner. Bugs will cause false changes.
- Check the laws of the camera position outdoors.
- Make sure the area is well ventilated.
2. Install them in discreet locations
The best way to protect your security cameras from theft is to hide them.
If someone is determined to destroy a visible camera, keep another camera hidden so you have the evidence.
The latest models are small enough to be installed in a factory or other location and go unnoticed – be sure to position the lens so that it still provides a good field of view.
The first step to protecting your security cameras from theft is deciding on a location.
For example, suppose you don’t want the security cameras to be easily visible to anyone outside your home.
In that case, you need to mount them at an angle where they can still capture images of anything that happens outside your home without being spotted by anyone.
Placing your outdoor security cameras in a discreet location is also a reliable way to protect them from vandals or theft. In addition, it helps with hiding if the camera is a similar color to the surrounding area.
Here are some common hidden locations.
- Hide in PVC pipes
- Hide in a birdhouse
- Hide near shrubs and plants of camouflaged color
- Hide camera with everyday objects
3. Screw the cameras to the walls
Firmly screwing your security cameras to the walls is another way to protect them from theft. Do not use glue, especially for outdoor cameras.
When choosing an outdoor security camera, opt for a screw-type rather than a magnetic type. Anyone with a stick can easily knock it over with a magnetic mount.
4. Be at Peace with your Neighbors
Your neighbors can act as an extra eye on your property. Therefore, it would be helpful to try to be friends with them to determine who goes on your property when you are not home.
This way, you can prevent burglars from stealing your security cameras.
An extra set of eyes in neighbors is an added layer of protection. Your neighbors are just as interested in securing their property as you are, so it’s helpful to set up a neighborhood watch together.
5. Always lock your gate
If you have a fence and a gate, you must always lock them when you enter or leave the house. Also, it would be best to have a fence that is at least 7.5 feet high and has a barbed wire or razor wire.
This is one of the ways to keep burglars from gaining access to your property as well as your security cameras.
6. Use a security camera cage
Use special camera enclosures/cages to keep your security cameras safe from theft. In addition, a sturdy protective housing/case is useful to protect your outdoor security camera from vandalism.
It can also make your outdoor camera blend in with the outside environment, so others won’t easily notice its existence. Meanwhile, protective housing can mitigate the weather.
7. Buy Security cameras with Cloud Video Storage and continuous recording
One way you can prevent your security cameras from being stolen is to install wireless security cameras with continuous recording and cloud storage.
Wireless systems now dominate the market because of the added security. However, in recent years, thieves have easily found the location of the outdoor camera by the wires and then cut the wires to avoid detection during break-ins.
In contrast, wireless outdoor security cameras are easy to install and hide. Besides, if you want to change the installation place after the installation, it is very convenient to disassemble them.
There are two main types of video storage between local and cloud. They are completely different. Local video storage means that your video is on a local device in your home, usually an SD card, and it can be played on any mobile device.
When the micro SD card is full, the new content overwrites the oldest content on the card.
And if your outdoor security camera is stolen, the device and the SD card will be stolen together.
On the other hand, you can store all your recorded video online in the cloud with cloud video storage. The video is instantly uploaded online to a secure location where it cannot be removed or deleted by human error.
If an intruder wants to erase a trace of his visit, it is impossible with cloud video storage. On the other hand, you don’t have to worry about overwriting.
However, if you’re a price-sensitive consumer, local security storage is probably the right choice for you since you’ll have to pay a monthly fee for cloud video storage.
Wrapping up: How to prevent outdoor security cameras from being stolen
Outdoor security cameras are one of the best ways to identify burglars and protect our property.
But for some homeowners, one question may be confusing: how to protect an outdoor security camera from theft.
Here, I have shared some great and practical tips to reduce the likelihood of theft above.