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The need to protect ourselves and our homes is a need that mankind has had since the very beginning. Not being as big, strong, fast and ferocious as the predators that hunted us, or even the herbivores that competed with us for territory and food, turned out to be more of a blessing in disguise than a curse for us humans. Thanks to our physical inferiority and inability to adapt to our surroundings quickly enough we have developed technologies and tactics far beyond what our early ancestors could even comprehend. As times have changed, so did the predators, and this in turn has prompted a constant evolution of tactics and tools that we use to keep ourselves safe. The modern threat is far less physically threatening in its basic form than the predators of old - lacking claws, huge jaws and body size, but the threat is far more intelligent. What the thieves, murderers and other criminals lack in sheer animalistic physical prowess, they more than make up for in cunning and superior equipment. The target of these capable criminals isn’t always the person himself, there is a lot more to be gained from attacking a persons home or place of business – a man can only carry so much valuables on his person, but homes and stores on the other hand will have a lot of useful loot for the thief. In fact, there are several types of thieves out there: • Street mugger – that runs up to you and pulls out a weapon to take your wallet • Small-time thief – that walks around a neighborhood looking for the right house and picks the lock or smashes a window to gain entry • Experienced thief – that carries his equipment with him, plans in advance and waits for the right opportunity • Armed robber – that brings along several friends, heavily armed and uses hit and run tactics, taking all that he can and fleeing the scene of the crime Having CCTV (Closed Circuit Television) installed in your premises will greatly help when dealing with all of the aforementioned types of criminal. The various tactical advantages of having CCTV installation performed include: • Helping police in investigating assaults, car crashes and muggings that happen in front of your house/place of business • Serving as a deterrent to potential robbers, violent drunks, teenage vandals and the like – why risk getting caught on tape when there are other, easier targets • Providing evidence against the perpetrator after a crime has been committed • Providing evidence that supports your claim of self-defense in case you, a clerk at your store or a security guard open fire on the criminal • Helping you stop crime in progress by notifying the authorities early on or sending security to the proper location • Helping you assess the character of your employees and keeping them on their best behavior CCTV placement is also very important. For instance, you shouldn’t just mount a single camera above the main entrance and forget about the rest of the building. It is advised that you cover all your “weak spots”, areas that can provide an easy entrance like secluded doorways, windows that are not visible from the street, dimly lit alleys, sides of the building facing an area where there are a lot of trees or bushes where someone could hide etc. You should think about installing adequate lighting along with the cameras, as well as strengthening the perimeter, i.e. making sure all vegetation is trimmed regularly, that the fences are clearly visible by security, that the doors and gates are properly closed and locked... For responsible homeowners it is a good idea to install a CCTV camera inside the house as well as outside, for an additional layer of defense. In fact, regardless of what object you are trying to protect, you should always have several layers of defense – the CCTV being a good initial deterrent and early warning system. A camera will not magically make criminals turn and run away, so be sure you have additional means of security. A good place for a camera indoors would be on top of a staircase, because it’s narrow the criminals will have to parade in front of the camera one by one, making identification easier. Rooms with safes and valuables such as expensive pieces of art should also be fitted with a camera. As you can see the CCTV can be used for a variety of tasks, ranging from very serious crime prevention or helping police investigations to very mundane ones such as letting you know your guests have arrived so you have more time to prepare, checking on your children when they are playing in the garden, or simply allowing you to check out loud noises that wake you up, without having to leave the safety of your home. Just keep in mind, it should be a part of a wider range of security measures that keep you safe on daily basis. Author Bio: Ivan Dimitrijevic is an internet marketing professional since 2003. He writes for many Australian and USA blogs including Silicon Security Systems - Melbourne, Australia and his favorite topics include CCTV standards and equipment, home security and alarm installation tips.
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