Installing a CCTV system is one of the most effective ways to prevent burglars and vandals from targeting your home.
Criminals thrive on stealth and aim to target properties with limited visual security where they feel they have the best possible chance of getting in and out without detection.
In a study conducted by Co-op Insurance, a CCTV camera was the Number 1 deterrent for burglars according to a panel of ex-thieves and experts who believe that two-thirds of domestic burglaries could be prevented by the installation of CCTV.
Most burglars are opportunists who will scan an area for an easy target and a CCTV system will ensure that the vast majority of potential burglars take one glance are your property and decide it’s not worth the effort of trying to break in.
Despite this, just 14% of homeowners in the UK currently have any sort of CCTV system in place.
If you want to make your home a more secure place and protect the safety of you and your family, read on to find out why CCTV could be the ideal solution for your needs.
Why is CCTV required?
Despite being classed as a ‘property crime’ burglary has a far bigger effect on victims than simply losing certain valuable possessions.
Your home should be a place of privacy where you feel safe and relaxed at all times, and having this sanctity violated can have a major psychological impact.
A study of burglary victims conducted by psychiatrist Billie Corder found that the vast majority never felt the same sense of security in their home again after the incident took place.
Research into post-burglary trauma found that a quarter of victims found it hard to sleep in their home after the incident, 13% decided to move house, and 5% developed PTSD.
For this reason, prevention is far more important than detection and identification in the case of burglaries as even if the authorities are able to track the culprits and recover your possessions, the break in will have a lasting impact on you and your family for many years to come.
Installing a security system that deters the vast majority of criminals from even attempting to target your home is, therefore, vital to creating a sense of safety and security for you and your loved ones.
How does CCTV help prevent crime?
Despite popular belief, the most effective role of a CCTV system is not catching criminals in the act but deterring them from targeting your property at all.
If a burglar spots a CCTV system, they will more often than not decide that the risk of leaving evidence behind is too high and opt to move on to a less well protected property.
Acting as a visual deterrent is just one advantage of CCTV cameras however, and there are many other benefits that make them the best method of preventing burglaries on your property.
Remote Monitoring
CCTV allows you to monitor what is going on your property at any time, particularly beneficial when your home or business premises is unoccupied.
For home monitoring purposes, CCTV offers you peace of mind when away on holiday, away on business, or simply out for the day, with smart technology allowing you to access video footage at any time via a mobile app.
For commercial purposes, CCTV ensures that professional security staff can monitor your entire site in real-time and be on the scene in a matter of minutes if an ongoing incident is detected.
If your security staff are of-site at the time they will be able to take the appropriate action, whether alerting your keyholders, or the police, that a burglary is taking place and giving you the best possible chance of the perpetrators being caught in the act.
Gathering Evidence
In the unlikely event that your property is still the subject of burglary despite the visual deterrent of CCTV, having camera footage of the incident will be vital in collecting evidence.
CCTV footage can be the key to helping the police identify and find the culprits of a crime, and securing a conviction once they have been detained, with many court cases being settled on the basis of CCTV footage.
Only time dated high quality video footage is omissible in a court of law, so it is essential that you have your CCTV system installed by a respected expert installer.
Contact Central FS Today
If you live in the Glasgow area and want to protect your home against burglary and other property crimes, contact Central FS today for more information on our industry leading CCTV systems.
Everyone’s security needs are different, and we understand that there is no one size fits all CCTV system.
Our expert team will use their years of experience to design a bespoke cost effective solution using the latest in CCTV technology to provide maximum security for your home.