In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, I had to repair two of my solar powered motion detection outdoor lights and replace one of our video cameras. All these devices are part of our multi-layered security system.
Fixing the first light was easy. The cable that ran from the solar panel to the light had broken when the landslide knocked into the carport. Once we repaired the carport, I simply spliced the cable back together, using small wire nuts and black electrical tape. Easy to do. Less easy to predict if my repair will prove to be waterproof.
The second light was damaged by a falling tree limb, which struck the light and bent the screw holding it in place. As a result, the light looks down and the motion detector part pointed at the ground. I simply bent out the dent, remounted it with a longer screw, and we are back up and running. I was quite pleased with the durability of the light itself.
In any case, I can recommend solar-powered motion detection lights. Mine are 1600 lumens and allow you to select the sensor sensitivity and how long the light stays on.
AI Security Camera
I have multiple external and internal video cameras, although I often unplug the inside cameras or turn them to face the wall when we are home. One exterior camera went bad this summer, four years after I purchased it, so I replaced it. The new camera was not only cheaper than the original, it came with pan and tilt, so I can move it using an app on my phone. The original was in a fixed position. This is the camera that views my front porch and carport, but I can now rotate the view to see the chicken coop.
It came with some AI tools that can identify a person, vehicle, or animal. When the motion alert is on, the camera sends an alert to my phone saying it spotted a person, for example, coming up to my front door, and it includes a photo in the notification. I then have the option of opening the app and viewing the full alert or going directly to a live feed. Similar to many doorbell products, I can also choose to talk to the person via the camera. It’s a nice way of suggest I am home, even when I am not.
The camera looking down my driveway failed during Hurricane Helene. I put up the replacement camera last week and found it has even more AI features. This camera not only pans and tilts, it does so automatically. When I walk up the driveway, the camera follows me. When I walk by it and up to the front porch, the camera revolves 180 degree to follow me. When my neighbor drove up, the camera followed his car.
It’s a little spooky, but I like this feature because it makes it appear the person approaching the house is being watched. The person walking up to the house does not know it is AI turning the camera, so it gives the impression that someone is watching them. That is the kind of deterrent I like.
Cameras as Deterrents
No camera is going to prevent someone from committing a crime; they are more useful afterwards for solving one. However, the presence of visible cameras—especially one that tracks you as you move and can speak to you—might convince a criminal to find a softer target.
I have used professionally installed camera systems at businesses. The new cameras available for less than $30 are better than those I had access to five to ten years ago in a corporate setting. Also, because the data is stored in the cloud, no one can steal the hard drive or erase the video.
The downside is that these cameras need Wi-Fi and internet access to work. When the internet was out after the storm, I had to sit at my PC, be sure it was logged into the same Wi-Fi network as the cameras, and use a browser to pull up the camera’s IP address. This allowed me to see on my screen what the camera saw, but it didn’t have any of the features of the app. While I could see via the cameras and save images, they could not save data to the cloud. Yet another example of how products that are controlled by an app will not work during a grid-down scenario or an internet outage.
A sophisticated crew might have a Wi-Fi and cell signal jammer. I expect the camera with a view of the driveway would capture them before the jammer was in range to disrupt the signal. That, however, is where having an old-fashioned game camera mounted on a tree comes into play. Mine is positioned to see someone turning into our driveway and snaps a photo coming and going, hopefully capturing the license plate and the vehicle style and color.
Gates
My neighbor and I have been talking about putting a gate where the public road ends. We both like the idea, but I don’t think it will happen. More likely, I will put a gate on my driveway.
There is a large telephone pole lying on the side of the road. It was left there by the electric utility when they were repairing our power lines. I don’t know if it is an old pole they removed, or a new pole they left behind. Either way, I am tempted to take it, cut it into ten or 12-foot lengths, and use them as gate posts. I imagine them as a shorter pole and a taller one, with a light at the top of the taller one.
In the past, I had a gate with an automatic opener. It used a device like a garage door opener to open. I don’t know if we would go the automated opener route this time because the last one was not what I would call trouble-free. In fact, I expect I could get work as a GTO service technician because I repaired it so many times. Once, I had to replace the circuit board because of a lightning struck a tree 100 feet away. There were smaller circuit boards in the arms that also needed to be replaced. The batteries also wore out, and when we had heavy snows, the gate could not push the snow out of the way to open.
Still, a gate is useful because it keeps vehicles out and makes it clear you are trespassing if you climb over it. A gate has been on my wish list for some time.
Personal Security
Lights and other visible security devices might deter a casual criminal. Good locks might slow them down. Cameras, driveway alarms, and burglar alarms might alert you to someone’s presence or even call the police. Our dog is a flock-protection dog and has an intimidating bark and an even more threatening growl. These are all valuable layers of security, but in the end, it may come down to you and your abilities.
In ten years, our video cameras might come with tasers that allow us to stun criminals from afar. Future generations of doorbell cameras might have pepper spray cartridges built in to deter porch pirates. Our dog may one day be replaced by a robotic dog that calls the police as it bites the criminal’s leg. Until then, it’s up to us. We have to be willing and able to shoot someone if they kick in the front door. Then we have to deal with the legal aftermath.
I hope our security devices will deter the criminal, but if not, I am prepared to be the last line of defense. Are you?
