University of North Carolina Sheds Light on Home Break-in Deterrents By RS Staff Published: November 29, 2018 ⋅ Updated: April 15, 2019 Home security systems deter burglars: That’s a key conclusion in the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Department of Criminal Justice & Criminology Study entitled, “Understanding Decisions to Burglarize from the Offender’s Perspective.” It is based on interviews with 422 randomly-selected jailed male and female burglars in North Carolina, Kentucky, and Ohio). “About 60 percent of the burglars indicated that the presence of an alarm would cause them to seek an alternative target altogether,” said the UNC Charlotte burglary study. “This was particularly true among the subset of burglars that were more likely to spend time deliberately and carefully planning a burglary.” Clearly, having a visible home security system — like a CCTV surveillance system that monitors the property in real-time, and records any attempts at unlawful entry — can help keep residences safe from burglars and home break-ins. Many security equipment vendors offer useful information to keep homes safe from burglars. One of these companies is Swann, which specializes in selling affordable DIY CCTV security systems. One Swann educational video provides six easy tips homeowners can do right away to make themselves more secure. How Smart is Your Home Security? Useful, can-do tips for improving home security and keeping intruders at bay; created by Swann for Crime Prevention Month. A second Swann video suggests six products to enhance any home’s security. Six Products to Give You Smarter Security The latest in Wi-Fi security cameras Given how much burglars avoid security systems, installing one or more security cameras should be part of everyone’s crime prevention strategy. Visible security cameras such as Swann’s latest Indoor and Outdoor Wi-Fi Cameras help to deter crimes before they happen. The company’s Indoor Security Camera (Wi-Fi Series; SWWHD-INDCAM) provides 1080p HD video coverage, plus two-way audio for communicating with people seen on-screen. Designed to connect directly to the user’s Wi-Fi network – no hub or DVR required – this indoor camera is compact in size and plugs into any wall socket. With the Swann Indoor Security Camera, users can see, hear and record what’s happening inside their home and workplace, picking up heat signatures from humans and animals up to 32ft/10m away. The video and sound captured by this camera is saved for 7 days on the camera’s built-in memory. It is also recorded to the cloud for two days on the free personal Swann account that comes with the camera, with the ability to expand this cloud storage to 30 days and beyond. Swann’s Outdoor Security Camera (SWWHD-OUTCAM) provides the same capabilities as the Indoor Security Camera, except it has one-way audio and can be mounted outside, at entrances and other vulnerable access points. This weatherproof camera can operate in temperatures ranging from -4 to +113 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 degrees to +45 degrees Celsius). The two new cameras can be combined with Swann’s Wire-Free Smart Security Cameras as they use the same SAFE by Swann app (available for Android and Apple devices), to provide complete video/audio surveillance inside and out. This means consumers can monitor throughout their home or business, day or night at any time and from anywhere. Amazon Alexa Works with Swann Wi-Fi Security Cameras Swann’s new Wi-Fi cameras work with Amazon Alexa. A truly smart doorbell Swann’s Wire-Free Smart Video Doorbell (SWADS-WVDP720) is 100 percent wireless with a rechargeable battery, and the option to connect to existing doorbell wiring. The Smart Video Doorbell has two-way audio capability, so homeowners can speak and hear from visitors at the door. The Doorbell features Swann’s True Detect™ heat-sensing technology, meaning people near the doorway will trigger an alert to the user’s smartphone, with a recording being sent to their Swann cloud storage account. There is also an optional chime unit available so the user can be alerted when there’s a visitor, even if their smartphone is not within arm’s reach. This means homeowners can see, hear and talk back on their smartphone to catch any ‘porch pirates’ in action. They can also playback this footage to police after the fact. Keeping burglars at bay Home security systems deter burglars. That’s what criminals themselves have told us, according to the UNC Charlotte burglary study. Swann DIY home security systems make this deterrence more effective, flexible, and affordable. Additional Resources Swann Smart Security Camera – Lauren & Blake (Full version) Meet Lauren and Blake, who have used Swann’s Wireless Smart Security Camera and the SAFE by Swann app to help keep their young family safe. An Introduction to Swann Smart Security Cameras Introducing Swann’s Smart Security Camera. A smart camera that’s 100% wireless, rechargeable, day, night, indoor, outdoor, uses True Detect heat-sensing technology for push notifications, recording locally and to the cloud. Swann Smart Security Camera – Camera Setup Tips on how to set up the wireless Swann Smart Security Camera. It includes how to charge, downloading the SAFE by Swann app, account creation and more.