Fake Security Cameras - Do They Help?

Fake security cameras have been used for many years now as a creative way to deter theft. Used in both homes and businesses, these fake security cameras look just like real surveillance cameras. In fact, some even have blinking lights and pan back and forth to simulate a real camera. The question many people have, however, is whether or not they actually help.

When answering this question, it.s necessary to look at what real security cameras offer as far as protection. Initially, they can be a deterrent simply by being visible. When a would-be intruder sees home security cameras keeping watch over a structure, he is going to think twice about breaking in. In many cases, the burglar will determine that it is easier and safer to find a different target.

Judging by this criterion, fake security cameras certainly can afford the same type of crime-prevention benefits. If the intruder is a stranger who has chosen your home or business to rob, he is unlikely to be able to tell that the camera is a fake. Having it staring him down will likely be enough to scare him away.

On the other hand, real security cameras serve as more than just a scare tactic. In many homes and businesses, the surveillance camera is actually connected to a closed-circuit television system. The image from the camera is transmitted to a monitor that may be viewed at any time. Should someone try to break in, a security guard watching the monitor would be able to intervene.

In addition, the image transmitted by the security camera can be recorded. If no one was watching the monitor at the time of the crime, there is still recourse, as the recorded footage may prove helpful in apprehending the criminal after the fact.

Obviously, fake security cameras are not able to help in either of these important ways. Still, there is a reason that they gained popularity, and it boiled down to cost. Fake security cameras were simply far less expensive than real surveillance cameras. That advantage has actually begun to disappear, as real cameras are now extremely affordable. When asking if fake security cameras help, you have to take each of these criteria into consideration. Because of the low cost and simplified setup of a real system, fake security cameras have fallen out of popularity. They are still in use to deter shoplifters and trespassers; but with the advent of wireless home security system technology, they are becoming less and less useful.