CHEAP HOME SECURITY: How to keep burglars away for cheap

PITTSBURGH — Federal surveys show having your home burglarized is the most feared property crime.

No wonder: FBI figures show there were over a million break-ins last year.

So how about a security system? Some sound terrific.

“It’ll sense the motion, the lights will turn on and then the video will capture anything that you know intrudes in that perimeter that you set,” said security expert and electrician Chris Walton.

But then there’s cost. Some systems can be as much as $600 and up. Then, there’s the cost to have them professionally installed. And then, there’s the activation cost. On top of it all, plan on spending another $25 to $50 dollars a month for alarm monitoring services.

However, advances in technology have resulted in products that truly let you “do-it-yourself” when it comes to installation. It also saves you money.

Like how about cameras that you just have to screw in a light bulb socket and you’re ready to go? The cost is approximately a mere $30/piece.

Or if you want a motion-detecting camera, there are rechargeable, easily installed models that go for $40 and are also waterproof.

Even big names like the indoor/outdoor Google Nest Camera now can be had for about $114.

“The whole point to a security system really is a deterrent,” says Deputy Chief Brian Kohlhepp of Ross Township Police. “At the end of the day, you want to make your home is just a little bit more fortified so that it pushes the person on to somewhere else.”

Kohlhepp also said that burglaries occurring when someone is at home are “rare.” More often, he says, a break-in happens during the day while everyone is at work and school.

In fact, according to the FBI, more than 56% of home burglaries happened during the day last year.

Most of those occurred between noon and 4 p.m., with the average burglary lasting only between 8 and 10 minutes.

That’s why he says additional door and window locks, such as pinlocks, can bring a lot of protection for the dollar.

“Things like this are good,” Kohlhepp says, “especially if you have older windows and doors that don’t come with other locks.”

Pinlocks let you slide a bar into your window frame which makes it nearly impossible to open and are not expensive.

Often the devices go for about $20/piece.

If you have an outdoor lawn hut there’s a way to protect that too.

If thieves think you’re out for the day or out of town, despite that you have thoroughly locked the hut, often burglars will literally remove the screws to the door or entrance of the hut. The result? Goodbye lawn mower!

This is why experts recommend anti-theft screws be used in these cases. You need a specially-fitted tool that comes with your screws in order to turn and loosen the head.

Once again, the cost for this kit is inexpensive and usually goes for around $20.

Finally, there are even full do-it-yourself anti-burglary systems that include window and door sensors and alarms for just over 100 dollars.

But both the police and our expert say the best deterrent against burglars is a visible camera.

Deputy Chief Kolhepp also says it offers another advantage: When “you” can see what’s happening in your own home, it can change the police response to your call for help.

“If you could log on a camera and say, ‘this is real, there’s someone in my house.’ And call and say, ‘I want to report that now,’ then our response would be expedited because we would realize this is a real burglary and not the false alarm that we generally get,” Kolhepp said.

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