“Statistics show that every tenth theft in Lithuania is recorded by breaking into residential premises. In most such cases, residents are not equipped with cameras. If in the past video surveillance systems required a great deal of preparation for wiring and finding ways to install cameras, today consumers can protect their homes with quite simple smart camera systems. Their prices are relatively low and many factors should be taken into account when preparing them, starting with the location of the camera and ending with warnings that the room is being filmed,” says Egidijus Adomkaitis of Bitė Lietuva. “Cameras are a good preventive measure against burglars, but the basic security rules should not be forgotten. Unless necessary, don’t keep large sums of money at home, if you’re planning long-term trips or vacations, don’t advertise them in a public space. The same applies to the disclosure of planned or concluded transactions. We also recommend paying special attention to the development and maintenance of warm neighborly relations in order to help each other after noticing a suspicious incident,” reminds Sigitas Šemis, Head of the 2nd Division of the Criminal Police Investigation Board of the Vilnius County Chief Police Commissariat. Next, Bitė and the Lithuanian police provide some tips on how to properly install cameras at home.
Tip #1: use a combination of real and fake cameras
“Thieves know very well the usual places to install cameras at the front door or in the living room. Usually, when they break into homes, they first look for these surveillance devices in such popular places, and when they notice them, they break or turn them off. Therefore, it is very useful to install fake cameras in such visible places and to install functional ones in non-traditional locations. That way, the thief will feel in control of the situation, even though they won’t. For example, a smart wireless camera can be easily attached to any metal and not just a surface, so you have significantly more applications than traditional wired cameras. A fake camera can also be a good preventative measure. After seeing it, the criminal can get lost and choose another target,” E. Adomkaitis advises.
Tip #2: choose cameras based on lighting
Bitė representative notes that when choosing a camera, the lighting in the room should be taken into account: “If you plan to use the camera in a well-lit area – practically any video surveillance device will be suitable. When we talk about darkness or dusk, then we need a camera that conveys the quality of the image even in such an environment. The best option is a smart universal camera that can shoot in any lighting conditions. We recommend them if you don’t know exactly what you want to monitor or if you plan to change the location of the camera often. “
Tip #3: Combine cameras with other home security measures
According to the representative of the Lithuanian Police S. Šemis, it is useful to think about additional security measures in the house: “We highly recommend combining the cameras together with other security solutions. These could be, for example, alarm devices or glass break sensors. Such measures should frighten the perpetrator or force him to make mistakes in a tense situation that can be detected by cameras. “
Tip #4: Identify the most important hacking points
“If we are talking about private houses or homesteads, when installing cameras we need to know that criminals usually tend to break through the doors or windows on the first or second floor. Therefore, the cameras should be installed in such a way that burglary areas are possible in their field of vision. If you install them outside, make sure that these devices work as well as possible during the dark hours of the day or in the rain,” says E. Adomkaitis.
Tip #5: Install the cameras in unexpected places
An unexpected camera is one of the best ways to surprise a thief: “If you install the camera in unexpected places, thieves will not expect them and it will be more likely to capture their faces. Modern cameras that are mobile and can be built anywhere are very useful. For example, outdoors, a camera can be placed in a tree, at home in a box of gems, which when opened, a thief would reveal his face, ”says a company spokesman. The police representative adds that such decisions really help in practice: “Last year, one foreigner was recorded in Kaunas committing a crime in a residential house. The cameras were set up so cleverly that the thief didn’t even suspect one of the rooms was being filmed, so he decided not to hide his face. Police officers arrested him and found a significant part of the abducted property after receiving videos of the victim with a clearly visible face. “
Tip #6: Record the most expensive assets
With a limited number of cameras in your home, the focus should be on recording your most precious possessions: “You probably have a safe, jewelry box, or closet in your home that holds the most valuable items. Naturally, you should film such items the most. Only when preparing the camera would it not be necessary to point the lens completely directly at the protected object – this can give the thief potentially valuable property,” says Bitė representative. Once the cameras have been installed, stickers should also be provided to inform individuals that they are being filmed indoors. Such stickers can also become a preventative measure against petty thieves. Only personal property can be filmed with the cameras without additional consent.