What would happen if your home security camera is compromised? For example, if a burglar were to move it so it is no longer facing its intended destination, would you find out in time? Security cameras that are not connected to the internet have no way of reporting a malfunction, unusual activity or other problem. This creates a risk when dealing with more sophisticated criminals. IP security cameras, on the other hand, can be programmed to send an immediate alert when they are tampered with or damaged, offering a key advantage from a home protection perspective.

Camera Tampering Opens Home to Burglar

According to a recent Fenton-HighRidgePatch report, a local home was burgled by a criminal who turned a security camera around to face a different part of the house and use controls on the back of the camera to delete his or her image from the device. From there, the individual used a rock to break through glass on the door and gain entry to the home.

How IP Cameras Can Help

When this type of incident occurs, a typical camera's benefits are limited. However, an IP camera can be programmed to automatically notify you when somebody enters your property or passes a certain point. As a result, you know that your home is being threatened before somebody has a chance to tamper with the camera. You can also set the camera to notify you when it is moved or otherwise altered. While this may not help you catch the burglar after the event, you can immediately call police to your home, increasing the likelihood of preventing the crime.

While such a system may seem somewhat complex, pervasive network connectivity in many areas has made hooking an IP camera to the network extremely simple, especially since many devices can run on power over Ethernet setups that deliver electricity and data over the same wire. Furthermore, IP cameras can often be programmed to send certain types of alerts through simple applications, providing easy access to images of what is happening at the house and letting you know whether the alert represents a real threat or a package being delivered to the home.