Protect Your Christmas Displays with Security Cameras

It is that time of year to drag out the Christmas decorations. Setting up the house, business, or church can be a fun event for the whole family, as well as creating something beautiful the whole community can appreciate. Sadly more than a few of these lovely and expensive Christmas displays we work so hard to put together get vandalized every year.


Decorations get torn down, broken, or even stolen in the middle of the night when no one is watching. Some simply are out to cause mischief while others may be targeting specific religions. Whatever the reasoning you do not have to become a helpless victim and you do not have to stand guard or form a militia to protect your hard work and cash investment. A wireless security camera system is a small price to pay to ensure you those perpetrating violence and mischief against your nativity scene are brought to justice.


A quality wireless security camera system can be purchased for a few hundred dollars. Since there are no wires hidden cameras can easily be placed inside any decoration to cover any angle. All that is required is a battery power source. They are the easiest cameras to work with and setup can be done in under an hour. A good kit will come with everything necessary to setup your security system. Wireless video data can be monitored and checked from any computer anywhere. Place a sign out to let people know your property is under video surveillance. For lower budgets fake security cameras, which are simply and empty camera housing, can be just an effective deterrent as well. It may seem like a lot to spend, but you will be able to use the system for years to come.


Some decorations or statues are worth hundreds or thousands of dollars alone. These may be candidates for a GPS tracker. These items have led to the recovery of many a baby Jesus statues every year. A tracker can be hidden on the item and should it go missing lead you right to the thief’s doorstep, unless of course it gets thrown in a ditch. Either way you will get it back.


If you are planning on laying out hundreds of dollars on decorations it might be wise to consider spending a few more to ensure they stick around for years to come.



About the Author: Mike Ward is the owner and operator of Protection Depot, a leading online provider of wireless security cameras and hidden cameras. For more information about security cameras, please visit www.security-cams.com.

Building with Wireless Security Cameras

Theft on construction sites has been gradually increasing with the rise in cost of raw materials. Construction burglars have become much more bold and sophisticated in recent years employing mission impossible style tactics. Copper has been especially targeted, and in some cases thieves have cut and yanked out copper plumbing pipes already installed in buildings and houses. Others drive around with large flatbed trucks capable of picking up whole pallets of material.


Loss of materials and equipment equates to much more than the value of goods. It may take time to get replacement on site and workers may not be able to perform their work. This can completely derail schedules and the overall performance of the company. On top of that business insurance rates may go up. If a project is not completed on schedule the company may have to pay hefty fines and lose valuable reputation. While there certainly is a cost to implementing security measures ensuring tools and materials are safe far outweigh them.


For a long time the only option available was to put up high fences and have security guards patrol work sites at night. This can help, but guards may not be able to keep an eye on the entire site, and the extra staff may cost several thousand dollars per day. Construction companies these days rely on state of the art security systems with wireless security cameras, motion sensors, digital video recorders and audio monitoring capabilities. Instead of having dozens of people roaming around in the dark or rain only a few security camera operators are needed to monitor the entire site comfortably from a portable security building. Of course the initial investment may be several thousand, but a system can always be redeployed on another site once construction is complete.


Construction sites are an ever changing landscape as work progresses. Running cable is labor intensive and impractical due to the rugged nature of construction. The use of wireless security cameras allows the system to be quickly reconfigured as security needs change. As building nears completion security measures can be scaled back thereby reducing costs.


Threats to a construction site come in many forms from theft to vandalism, or dishonest and disgruntled workers. Wireless security cameras are an essential for any medium to large size construction site. Simply having the system in place will be a deterrent and greatly increase the chance of apprehending those responsible for crimes that are committed.



About the Author: Mike Ward is the owner and operator of Protection Depot, a leading online provider of wireless security cameras and digital video recorders. For more information about security cameras, please visit www.security-cams.com.

Security Cameras Catch Criminals

Many advocates claim security cameras are ineffective weapons against crime. Despite the multitude of research studies that show reduced crime rates in regions under surveillance these few people are still not convinced. One study of car parking garages showed a 51% reduction of criminal acts. Security cameras are an integral part of police investigation and special police units are dedicated to their use. Often officers with special training are monitoring 50-60 cameras at a time in a single room, which can be a monotonous ordeal, as camera feeds rotate through monitors every 5 – 10 seconds. However, anti surveillance activists frequently point to situations and circumstances where these units failed to respond when a crime was being committed.

In one such example a woman was assaulted at knife point while inside her apartment building monitored by approximately 200 security cameras. She was forced into a stairwell where there were no cameras and raped. To use the horrendous nature of events like these to lobby against security cameras is unfounded. Cameras did not record the crime itself, but did observe the struggle in the hallways.

What are the alternatives? What would be fool proof? Greater physical presence of police and security guards? What are the chances security personel patrolling the grounds would have stumbled upon the crime in progress, especially since none of the residents heard or reported anything? If guards had missed the crime what options would police have to follow up with other than slowly taking the victims description of the suspect and developing a sketch.

While these are terribly unfortunate events, just because a crime is committed under surveillance does not mean there is a problem with cameras themselves. The presence of cameras and readily accessible digital footage frequently leads to a speedy arrest of the perpetrator. Since there are so many cameras on the streets and in buildings, many times police can retrace a criminal’s steps providing them with an excellent profile of the suspect or his identity. In the example above police were able to locate footage of the criminal approaching the building from a gas station across the street. Other cameras in the gas station spotted the assailant purchasing cigarettes with his credit card and obtained his identity. He was apprehended immediately. Video footage is excellent evidence of the crime and will likely lend for a speedy trial and conviction.

People are people and sadly they make mistakes. Improvements in security technology are vastly closing the human error gap with image recognition. These high tech surveillance cameras can recognize items such as a gun or knife, as well as suspicious behaviors and criminal acts such as vandalism and assault. Absolutely nothing should replace personal common sense. One should always be aware of their surroundings and never take personal safety for granted.

Advances in technology have brought about much higher quality cameras at reduced prices making it a viable option for almost any homeowner to have indoor and outdoor video surveillance. Wireless surveillance cameras are quickly becoming the popular choice since they are so easy to install. These cameras can be quickly installed since there are no holes to drill and wires to run. Monitored security systems will dispatch security agents and notify police immediately.



About the Author: Mike Ward is the owner and operator of Protection Depot, a leading online provider of security cameras and wireless security cameras. For more information about security cameras, please visit Protection Depot.

Securing an Older Home

Security of home and property is a critical consideration for any homeowner. A secure home protects personal possessions, many of which may have irreplaceable sentimental value, and brings peace of mind whether you are at home or away. While newer homes are constructed in accordance with modern building codes that address security issues, older homes often have many weak points. Thorough evaluation of your residence and surrounding property can help you identify potential intruder entry points, or security risks that need to be addressed.

Windows and doors are the most common weak points intruders gain access to a home. Older windows may possess a certain charm or character they are far less secure than the newer vinyl or wood clad windows. Flimsy latches or rusty hinges further weakened by years of wear and tear may be forced open with a moderate amount jostling. Look for loose or rotten trim boards and window sills a burglar could easily pry off and remove all or part of the window. Often instead of installing a proper dryer venting system people simply ran the vent out a window which prevents locking it. A regular vent, can be easily installed by drilling a 4” hole through the exterior wall and siding. Be sure to insulate and seal the newly installed vent with caulking and spray foam. Place metal or wood bars in sliding windows and doors. Replacing windows can be done for a few thousand dollars and may even add comfort from drafts in the winter, as well as energy savings.

Doors are another area to spend some time investigating. Look for cracks and dry rot in the door jambs and trim casing the door to determine how easily it can be kicked in. If the door slab is in good condition look for loose or missing screws in the strikes and hinges. Replacing some or all of the screws with 3 or 4 inch exterior rated screws can add security by firmly attaching the door to the surrounding studs. If the door swings out it may simply be popped off its hinges. Add a dead deadbolt if not already present. If there are multiple problems, it may be worth replacing it with a newer metal, fibreglass, or solid wood core door.

Search for alternative entry points. Perhaps access to a crawl space can be gained by removing a porch trellis. An unlocked garage or storage shed attached to the house may provide a secluded area for intruders to work. It is not too farfetched for burglars to cut through siding, sheeting, plywood, and drywall to gain access to your goods when a broken window could alert a neighbour or passerby.

Install a security system. Wireless security systems are quick to install and eliminate the damage caused by the drilling required to thread cables on hardwired systems. In addition to trouble sensors on doors and windows, these systems can include motion sensors, security cameras, and digital video recorder systems. These systems have their own batteries, and can function even if power to the house is lost. Alarm monitoring companies will notify the police and dispatch an agent to drive by your house within minutes of trouble.



About the Author: Mike Ward is the owner and operator of Protection Depot, a leading online provider of security cameras and digital video recordersystems. For more information about security cameras, please visit Protection Depot.