Technology

Those aren't always options for renters, hence why wifi security systems are so popular.

Renters have virtually no choice here. I hate it when people state this like it's some damn easy thing for everyone to do.

Yes, if you have a $10M villa in LA where you store your priceless art collection invest in hard security. For the average person who just needs video for the insurance company for when some meth head steals their bike from the garage, it's a great solution.

IMHO, it comes down to your risk, what will make you feel comfortable, and how much money you want to spend. Pulling Ethernet through the walls and patching drywall might not be something you care to do if risk is low.

Also, if someone really wants to not be on camera, they’ll wear a mask, turn the power off at the main panel, etc. That said, there are cameras that can run on battery and store footage locally when they can’t phone home to wherever they deposit video files.

Yeah, it's not really a spike in burglaries so much as a spike in a specific tool being used in burglaries. Whether they use a brick, wifi jammer or a gun they were going to rob someone someway...

LAPD is recommending cutting back shrubbery and coordinating with neighbors for extended leave... As a Los Angeles native, neither of these things happen. After all, high walls make for good neighbors.

Or vice versa, connect to your cameras from the rest of your network.

Yes, he kicked down the Point Of Entry. Also, Power Over Ethernet is the best. It is known.

It's easy to write snarky comments like this, but the truth is running cables isn't easy, and in some cases simply not possible, at least if you don't want the cable simply draped over the outside of the house.

A numbers of cameras tell the user when they go offline, but yeah, a lot do not. I have a HomeKit system that sends an alert when WiFi or power has been interrupted to the camera or the primary hub.

They should make burglaries illegal too!

Because it's relevant? Is this not factual information that readers may or may not have known?

The availability of hardware changes by a not-negligent degree based on the legality of acquiring it.

Curious readers likely find information indicating that these shouldn't be readily available at your local big box store to be pertinent information.

They're extra illegal!!!

yes, assuming the cables are inaccessible from outside. otherwise it would be easy to cut them.

Yes but the camera should be in a place that can't be physically tampered with easily since someone could theoretically unplug the camera and plug into your home network and see all your computers or other devices as if they had stolen your WiFi password. A small risk but it's better to hardwire it somewhere they would need a ladder to get to or get a camera system that connects to a central box inside the house.

A jammer is less sophisticated than a crowbar. It's not like the burglar designs it themselves. Nor are they hacking your network to gain access, they just shut everything down.

It's actually not that high-tech... Like jamming a wifi signal is basically like just shouting over someone to prevent them from speaking (or at least from being heard). To make one from scratch, you need a little bit of technical prowess, but it's definitely a beginner project... But to use one, you literally just turn it on, and maybe choose a frequency. They're widely available and cheap.

There are pretty cool sophisticated digital crimes out there though, so take heart!

Its also to help police with investigations. POE cameras and doorbells won't have this specific weakness, they'll probably still get in and steal all your valuables, but if they think thier wifi jammer is working you might get some footage thats useful for the cops...