The distinction between home security and smart home automation is increasingly blurry. While many homeowners still see the two as distinct and separate, brands like Vivint are selling systems that combine both security and home automation devices. Everything works together to make a home more secure and efficient.
From my perspective, it is all good. Why? Because criminals never stop doing what they do. The best among them even looks for ways to improve their skills. So as criminals get better, property owners need to at least keep up. If they can stay ahead, great.
Burglars Steal a Car in New Jersey
This post was inspired by reports out of New Jersey involving a car that was stolen and subsequently used in another burglary. It all took place in the town of Wyckoff on the morning of December 3. Local police say that a resident reported a black Kia stolen from a driveway during the overnight hours. Video surveillance showed two suspects stealing the car just after 1:30 in the morning.
Apparently, the car was left unlocked and with the keys still in it. The two criminals simply climbed in and drove away. They then use the car to commit a burglary in neighboring Kearny. Local police found the car abandoned in Irvington on December 4.
Who knows whether the criminals used the car to commit other crimes? Although there are no guarantees, the chances a pretty high. The big question is this: what does the story have to do with smart home security getting smarter?
Video Surveillance Is Good, But…
It is clear from the news reports that the car owner has at least one security camera on his property. That is good. Security cameras provide some level of deterrence along with evidence investigators can use to track suspects. But this particular pair still stole the car, anyway.
Now, consider two devices that homeowners can get with a Vivint Home Security system. Here they are:
1. Spotlight Pro
The Spotlight Pro is a motion-sensitive floodlight with some extra bells and whistles. First, it integrates with an exterior security camera. Second, the spotlight’s behavior is partially determined by what the camera picks up.
When you come home at night, the light illuminates your path and guides you safely to the door. But when an unrecognized visitor arrives, the system perceives that person as a potential threat. The spotlight brightly illuminates and follows the individual’s movement. Wherever they go, the spotlight will shine brightly.
2. Outdoor Camera Pro
The Outdoor Camera Pro is equipped with a computer vision chip and Vivint’s Smart Deter technology. It can distinguish between a home’s residents, family pets, and strangers. If the camera detects someone lingering around the property for too long, it illuminates and generates an audible alert to let the person know that his movements are being tracked and recorded.
Scare Away Most Burglars
I suspect that combining the two devices would be enough to scare away most burglars. If I were a burglar approaching a driveway hoping to ransack a car, I would be caught off guard by a smart spotlight capable of following me around. I would also be alarmed by a camera that lights up and makes noise. I wouldn’t stick around.
As smart home technology gets smarter, it is also being utilized to make home security smarter. I think that is good. Smarter home security does a better job of warning criminals not even to take their chances. That translates into preventing a crime rather than trying to investigate and prosecute after the fact.