A home security system that includes cameras mounted outside your home can be an effective way to deter criminals from attempting to break and enter, as well as capturing their crimes for the authorities if they do break the law on your property. The cameras, however, will only be effective if criminals aren't able to destroy them — for example, many burglars will seek out exterior security cameras and attempt to break them with a rock so that they don't capture evidence of the crime. If you're thinking of adding security cameras outside your home, here are some strategies that will prevent them from being damaged.
Place Them Where They Won't Be Seen
One of the best ways to prevent an exterior security camera from being targeted by a criminal is to place it where it's unlikely to be detected. Thieves commonly look for cameras around the front of the house, but you might consider mounting one elsewhere — for example, on the rear of a bird feeder and aimed at the house — that the criminal is unlikely to look. You could also think about installing a dummy camera on the front of the house. The burglar may break it but will then think he or she is in the clear — and won't realize that everything is still being recorded by the real camera.
Mount Them High
A security camera directly above the door of your home can be easily reached by a burglar who jumps or throws a rock. If you position the camera significantly higher, such as under the eaves of the roof over the second floor, it will be much more difficult to damage. For example, a thief may spot the camera and throw rocks at it, but unless his or her aim is perfect, this attempt is apt to be futile. And, the average thief doesn't want to draw attention by standing in your driveway and throwing rocks at your house for several minutes.
Cover Them
Another useful strategy is to buy a security camera cover and have it mounted when you hire a home security company like Hook Line & Cable Securities to install the cameras. A clear plastic dome over each of the exterior cameras, for example, is a common type of cover that makes it highly difficult to break a camera through simple activities such as throwing rocks. The presence of this cover may even discourage the thief from attempting to target your home altogether, and instead he or she will choose another house in the neighborhood.
