Last month I got an impassioned email from a woman in a major Canadian city. She was distressed because of the intolerable level of ongoing crime and organized theft gangs operating in her neighbourhood.
The police are involved, but the problem persists. It’s gotten bad enough that citizen meetings were organized to discuss options, including hiring a private security firm to have boots on the ground constantly to maintain law and order.
“Many of us can’t afford the $500 a month it will cost each household to hire private security. What can I do?” she asked me.
While there are no technical solutions available to completely counteract the extent of societal decay we’re seeing unfold in some areas of Canada, there are things you can do to help. One valuable option is the use of security cameras outside your home.
These have become much cheaper, much simpler and much better than ever before, including one system that I know personally has worked well over two-plus years of experience.
Once upon a time, a system of security cameras was way too expensive for the average homeowner, and complex enough that you needed a specialized technician to install and troubleshoot them. But as the internet has become more robust and accessible, and electrical engineers the world over have been working hard to make security cameras cheaper, simpler and more effective, we’ve reached what seems to me like a near-optimal level of development.
Installing a reliable system of security cameras has now become an economical DIY job that even marginally handy homeowners can tackle on their own, and that’s a vital threshold that opens new possibilities.
My extended family members have researched and installed one particular type of Wi-Fi security cameras in their various homes, and what they’ve found is amazingly inexpensive, simple and effective.
There are many simple Wi-Fi security camera systems on the market, and the range of choices can be rather dizzying. That said, I do know from experience the Blink Outdoor 4 products work very well and are reliable. Each camera costs $65 when bought individually, or up to $250 for a five-camera system. These cameras are wireless and simply mount to anything you can drive a screw into. Configuration is easy.
Download the Blink app (mobile or desktop), scan the QR code on the back of each camera, then mount the cameras wherever you want them. Claimed camera battery life is two years when lithium AA cells are used, but my son-in-law tells me he’s still using the original batteries that came with his system after two years of constant use.
If you have multiple cameras, you’ll need something called a sync module that comes with each multi-camera kit. This allows the input from all multiple cameras to be seen on your phone or computer at the same time. All Blink 4 cameras also allow you to speak to someone near a camera and hear them talk, too. It also helps to install a sign or sticker that informs visitors they are being watched.
The Blink cameras offer high-resolution footage in real time that can be seen via the Blink app on your phone or desktop. But when you’ll be away from your home and potentially want to record and save footage, flip the system into “armed” mode.
This activates motion detection that records footage for some preset amount of time after motion is detected. This footage can be saved within the Blink hardware, or for a $15/month service fee it will be stored on Blink servers.
Security cameras are no substitute for the law, order and peace that’s the foundation of every safe community, but given the real world we find ourselves in, having some electronic eyes on your home seems like a wise move to me.
