Hi fellow LL,

I rent out a condo to an elderly couple in their 60's who I love to keep. Last weekend, the husband let me know that his SUV parking in the condo parking lot got window smashed and stuff stolen. He asked for a security camera to be installed to prevent this problem from happening again. I brought this idea to the condo association. Nobody interested (it's a very small 8 unit condo building). I don't mind installing the camera myself to put an ease on their minds and (hopefully) deter future crimes. The parking is outdoor and only have a 4 foot retractable gate at the entrance. It's very easy for anyone to climb over. Do you guys think installing a camera would be a good idea (if so, what brand)? I'm afraid that if I don't do anything, the thief will come back and steal more. I don't want to lose this nice couple. What do you think? Please share your thoughts. Thanks.

His window was smashed and his stuff was stolen because he left stuff out and visible. Tell him not to do that.

I second all of Larry's points.

Cameras are very ineffective at deterring crime. Criminals know that hoodies make them useless. Cops don't spend any time at all with the video on a low dollar (less than $5000) crime unless a gun is involved. They simply have better things to do especially when it is easily preventable by not leaving things in your car.

We had a criminal ring breaking into cars along our street, they broke in and stole some tools a couple of years ago. I bought a wireless door chime off of amazon for about

$30. I hooked the sensor on the inside of the truck door down low where it is out of the way and put the chime portion in my bedroom where my glock and I are at night. Once they open the door to the truck it sounds the alarm in the bedroom but they have no indications that it went off outside so I should get the drop on them. Fortunately, the police nailed the ring that was doing it and no one has tried to break in to my truck in the two years I've had that in place. I think it works really well, my wife hates it though. I sometimes go out super early to go hunting or have coffee with the guys and it wakes her up when I leave.

MikeA, you are in the best state for that. Here we can't go after a thief unless they put our lives in danger first. Stupid law in my opinion as my stuff is worth more than a dirtbag's life.

Anyhow, unless you get a really high end camera it will only alert you to the problem.

My suggestion would be to have lights installed after letting the tenant know not to leave stuff in plain sight.

I have cameras and lights at my place. Lights are dusk to dawn so I don't have to freak out when they turn on or off.

Thank you everyone for your reply.

Larry[MN], totally agree. That was the first thing in my mind when I read his text message. However I didn't say that to him (as blaming it's his fault). I also didn't want to appear as neglecting his request. I'll wait a few days to tell him what you said.

Dodge[PA], true

plenty[MO], good point. I just checked the law. Illinois doesn't have such law.

MikeA[TX], Yep agree with everything you said in the first paragraph. What a cool James Bourne wireless trick you did there :-) The thief on your street was very polite to open the door to steal.

zero[IN], the light idea is cool! Bugs set off the camera? I wonder if placing the camera a bit far away from the light would solve that problem. I have light and bugs at my rentals. They don't set off the camera because the light is a bit far away from the camera. Hence the bugs are too small to trigger the camera.

Chicago LL,

Step one: leave nothing in sight.

Step two: my ex-cop son in law leaves his truck unlocked so they don't break his window.

Step three: remove the NRA bumper sticker that says ".45 inside"

Hopefully this was a one time random act.

Thank you everyone for your reply.

BRAD 20,000[IN]. I was wondering about leaving the car unlocked to prevent window breaking. Glad to hear that it's in one of your suggestions :-) I thought it was just my weird idea to leave the car unlocked.

NE[PA]. That thought came to my mind as well. However they're an older couple and probably a techie.

Might not be approved in a condo association, but after a break-in at a rehab I was working on ( furnace stolen) I spent some time researching security and one curious thing I came across was that pictures of people deters theft. Even though we can identify it as a photo, part of our brain says we’re being watched. How well did it work? Well, no more break-ins after that.

The pics were still up when I rented the place out, and the tenant says she loves having coffee with Snoop dog every morning as he looks out of the kitchen window.

Bah... I think it is somewhere in Canada that they are telling their people to put their key fobs in a faraday bag but then put the bag next to the front door.

Keeps the bad guys from running thru the house looking for the fob.

I lock my doors, have a security system and have cameras up. I also have other things in place to assist me if they decide to come in while I am home.

I lock my stuff up to help keep honest people honest. If a crook wants something bad enough he will find a way to get it. Given enough time and balls.

My father didn't lock his doors. Been like that for as long as I could be aware.