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Why fake security cameras are no good

BryanMatthews | Aug 5, 2010 |

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Fake home security cameras have become popular with some people in the home security sector because they offer an inexpensive deterrent against the potential burglar. But they are only really of use if you have real security cameras already in place. Why is this?

Well, I live in a modest house. Not the kind of place you'd expect to find the crown jewels inside. A security camera on the front of my house would look out of place. It's not as if I have a long, gated driveway that needs a camera. Having a camera could draw the wrong kind of attention to my house. It could make someone think there must be something inside worth steeling. Or maybe the opposite, that house looks so ordinary I bet the cameras are fake. If the cameras are fake, is the alarm fake? Is there no protection on this house at all? I might be the only one with this perception but for now I would avoid fakes cameras.

However, technology gets cheaper and wireless becomes more prevalent outdoor wireless security cameras may reach a point when they are so cheap and easy to connect that they do become more commonplace. In that case their value and cost effectiveness would be well worth it as they'll no longer look out of place on the average home.

Of course, if you're going to use fake home security cameras they need to be a good ones, they need to look convincing. Fake cameras have glass lenses to correctly reflect light (unlike their cheaper plastic counterparts) and they come in sturdy metal cases that look the part. Some even have a flashing light of two for extra authenticity. As the price goes up so does the realism. Moving cameras that swing the lens back and forth automatically are most convincing. Sometimes fakes cameras are used to supplement existing cameras. So if you have a real camera watching the approach to the front door a fake can be used to pretend you have coverage on the garage etc, this can make real security systems a lot more affordable. Another approach is to combine a fake camera with a real motion alarm sensor. If the sensor on the camera is triggered by an approaching person an alarm will sound and, with luck, the offender will this this is a result of being 'seen' by the camera. This set up provides a cheap and credible alternative to a real camera.