How much would you pay for the safety of your family? Nowadays, simply locking our doors and windows is insufficient to protect our homes from the prying eyes of criminals.
This is why investing in CCTV security systems is something all homeowners should do. However, some try to pull tricks on the tricksters and install fake security systems instead — making people wonder about their effectiveness.
If you are curious to know whether installing fake security cameras is effective and worth it, keep reading. This article will give you an answer by going through the different pros and cons.
Pros and cons of fake security cameras
Pros
- Fake security cameras are affordable.
A lot of homeowners install fake security cameras mainly for their affordability. This choice is definitely a lot cheaper than installing the real ones. You can also put up fake security cameras in minutes, so you will not need to hire a professional to install them for you.
- They look real.
Fake cameras are realistically designed to pose a threat to inexperienced criminals, which is is why they can discourage criminals from breaking into your home. Not only that, but they are also available in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and colours.
- You can avoid the issue of property rights.
In general, it is illegal to record you or another individual without their consent in situations where a reasonable expectation of privacy exists. This problem will be inexistent with fake cameras. Therefore, you would not worry about violating any digital property rights.
Cons
- Experienced criminals can easily identify them.
While you can get away with using fake cameras with some criminals, others can identify them instantly. Some fake security cameras may come with realistic red lights, motion detectors, and other details, but some don’t. When seasoned burglars figure this out, your house can be their next target.
- Fake cameras are useless in solving crime.
Since these cameras are fake, they don’t hold any footage. Therefore, if a robbery or any crime occurs in or around your property, you cannot prove the legitimacy of the incident. Worse, you won’t be able to help the police in terms of identifying any suspect.
- They aren’t always cheap
While there are cheap options, some fake cameras are pricey. In fact, some are pretty close to the price of actual security cameras. If that’s the case, you will be better off buying the real thing.
- Fake cameras offer a false sense of security.
A lot of people feel safer once they spot a security camera. However, if you put up a fake system in a place where a crime happened, you can be at risk of a lawsuit. If a victim of a crime assumed the cameras were real and claimed that the fake cameras gave them a false sense of security, they would argue that they would have taken additional precautions to ensure their safety.
Pros and cons of real surveillance cameras
Pros
- Security cameras are an effective deterrent in crimes.
The presence of security cameras will undoubtedly reduce property crimes. No criminal wants to be seen or recorded, so they try to avoid these devices at all times. Not only that, but security cameras also help solve crimes such as burglary and trespassing.
- They give you peace of mind.
Having a reliable security camera will help you look after your kids even away from home. You can also use these devices to supervise your employees in your company building. Overall, installing a security camera will give you peace of mind knowing that you can monitor your property at all times.
Also, if suspicious individuals are seen roaming around the area, you can immediately contact authorities to prevent a crime from occurring even before someone is put in danger.
- Using them is convenient.
Thanks to technological advancements, we can now use mobile apps to reach our security cameras at home and work. These applications can send alerts to your smartphone whenever anything out of the ordinary occurs. You can also speak through some surveillance devices now, allowing you to communicate to your kids at home through the press of a button.
- Security cameras can help gather evidence and catch criminals.
Recordings in your security camera can be used by authorities and considered evidence. With the help of these devices, you can track down perpetrators and recover your stolen valuables.
Cons
- Security cameras will not always be effective.
Unfortunately, some criminals have gotten better at compromising security cameras. Homes and buildings with wireless systems and weak network protection can be hacked by criminals. Furthermore, some criminals still decide to carry out their crimes even while aware of the surveillance. They have improved their means to evade detection and conceal their identities through clothing.
- Some people abuse these devices.
This type of safety precaution can easily be abused in the hands of the wrong people. For instance, electronic surveillance is the practice of watching or listening in on a person’s actions or conversations without their knowledge or consent using electronic devices. Furthermore, other people also use security cameras for stalking, voyeurism, and blackmail.
Final thoughts
While it is true that fake surveillance cameras can act as a deterrent, they fall short of the effectiveness of genuine cameras. A skilled burglar will be able to identify the difference and will no longer be afraid to commit a crime. Also, fake cameras will not be of any help in the event of a crime within your vicinity.
Therefore, if you genuinely want to keep your family and neighbours safe, you should purchase reliable CCTV security systems.