As a homeowner or business owner, you’ve likely thought to yourself, “are fake security cameras effective?”.
Security cameras are an excellent tool in keeping your property safe and recording any crime. Their presence can deter criminals (if they see that it’s real), as they know they can be prosecuted easily. However, real security cameras can come with an associated cost to keep them functioning. Some people use fake cameras in place of real ones because they want to avoid the cost. Similarly, they think that fake security cameras effectively deter potential thieves.
Glenco are security experts, and we’ve seen what works and what doesn’t in keeping your property secure. In this article, we’ll discuss the main points that determine if fake security cameras are effective.
The answer is no
Unfortunately, the answer to “are fake security cameras effective?” is no. They don’t effectively keep your property safe and secure. The disadvantages of fake cameras outweigh the advantages, and relying on them can be problematic. Below we discuss the reasons they’re ineffective in protecting your home or business:
They’re useless in an actual break-in
Real security cameras work well because they can catch thieves while they’re committing the crime. As fake cameras don’t work, they can’t actually do anything in the case of an actual break-in. They can just end up being a useless decoration. Fake security cameras render your house unprotected and vulnerable when thieves decide to break-in.
They’re easy to identify as fake
Criminals are often experienced in the crimes they commit. This means they can know how to detect a fake security camera. Fake cameras usually have a blinking red light to make it look as though it has electrics and is real. Seasoned burglars can know this light is to indicate that the camera is fake. Once they notice it isn’t real, nothing is stopping them from breaking into your property.
Business owners in Australia are obliged to show signs that indicate when security cameras are being used. This means that fake cameras also require fake signage, which can make the problem worse. The additional signage can also be an obvious fake and be another way to hinder the illusion of a real camera.
Putting ourselves in burglars’ shoes, we can see that when they recognise that the security camera is fake, they can feel more secure in breaking in. They can then assume that the property doesn’t have any other defences, so they’re more inclined to break-in. Businesses can be much better off using professional and real cameras to protect their property.
They create a dangerous false sense of security
Fake cameras can make people feel safe and secure when they believe them to be real. They can feel protected from dangers when everything is being recorded, and they have a right to rely on that security. When they only believe this, though, and a fake camera means that it’s not true, it can be dangerous.
For example, if a person assaults a staff member, they may assume it was caught on camera. If it were only a fake camera, it would not have recorded anything. This staff member now has no evidence of the assault because they had a false sense of security. The business owner that installed the fake security camera would then be liable under the assumption that the crime was being monitored.
When we ask ‘are fake security cameras effective?’, the false sense of security explains that they are both ineffective and counterproductive by causing their own issues.
They do not provide actual peace of mind
Real security cameras can give us a significant level of peace of mind because they make us feel safe and secure. This is one of their most important benefits because we all want to feel like our property is safe. But when you’re aware that your security cameras are fake, there is no peace of mind. You’re aware that your property isn’t being monitored and is always in a vulnerable position. Your safety and security can play on your mind when you wonder if your property is safe.
Don’t put your safety and security at risk
Security cameras serve two purposes: they monitor in real-time so that an incident can be stopped, and they record to provide evidence in the future. Fake security cameras can do neither of these things. Given the false sense of security they provide, they can actually cause new issues that make them problematic. We know that thieves can also identify them as fake quickly. When they make this identification, they can be even more inclined to break-in as they assume the property has no defence.
So, are fake security cameras effective? At Glenco, our experience has taught us that they’re not. Sydney businesses and homeowners that want to protect their property properly are much better off using real security cameras. Need help installing a (real) security camera? Glenco can help.
