Anyone involved in security would have noticed the increase in home security cameras and mobile apps that are ready and waiting to alert you of a potential break-in.

These can often be delivered the next day, for under £20, and can easily installed yourself within a few minutes. They will often come with a free app that can be downloaded onto your mobile phone or tablet, allowing you to monitor your home or business from your phone, and they can also alert you to movement in front of the camera

If you think it all sounds a little too good to be true, then you're right. Here's why smart cameras and security apps are actually a terrible investment.

Is it a burglar, is it a thief?

No, no, it's a squirrel or the local dog walker... or even the *wait for it* POSTMAN. Yet each of these have triggered an alert of motion and sent a panicked notification to your mobile phone. Brilliant! All of that panic for nothing.

Always one step behind

Whilst you might think that getting a security camera for your building is putting you one step ahead of the crooks you're protecting yourself from, it's actually putting you one step behind. Let us explain. By the time you're aware of a crime taking place, such as burglary or vandalism, you're already a victim. It's already happened, you just have footage of the damage and an insurance claim to file.

Watching you, watching them

Even more alarmingly, the mobile apps attached to these security cameras can be easily hacked. This means you could have a potential threat outside, waiting for you to pack up and leave, using your security camera to allow them to see when the building is empty. Or worse, following you home to see where you live, so they know your working hours and your home address. Did you know most burglaries take part during the day when you're at work?

• What if they can see where you leave the key to the safe?
• What if they can see what the alarm code is as you enter it before you leave?

How you position these cameras and what you do to prevent them from being hacked is massively important. How do you know you haven't just installed a camera that will assist a criminal, instead of preventing them?

Hire a professional

It goes without saying that having someone on site acts as a deterrent, and therefore a mobile patrol will greatly reduce your risk of crime. But should something happen, you'll know that you have an experienced security presence onsite that is able to handle a situation. That might involve them contacting the police, restraining someone and preserving evidence.

For more information on how our security guards can reduce the risk of crime at your location, please don't hesitate to contact a member of our team. We can design a tailor-made contract to suit your needs and budget.

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