A lot of retail stores seemed to be armed with dummy cameras nowadays. After all, they are inexpensive versions of the much more effective but pricey CCTV cameras. And for a layman, they are pretty much the same. (In case you didn’t know, dummy cameras are fake security cameras that have the camera housing minus the actual electronics) They are designed to look like actual cameras but are not real. Dummy cameras when used in the right place can prove to be useful. 

But does installing 6 to 7 dummy cameras in a retail store really help prevent shoplifting? Or in a more serious situation, can they actually help you in gathering evidence or catching a criminal like real CCTV cameras do? The answer is NO. 

In order to better understand their effectiveness it is necessary to look into the implications and limitations of dummy cameras. 

PROS 

• Inexpensive. While a real security camera will cost you an arm and a leg, the dummy security camera hardly costs $10 to $20.
• Authentic looking. Dummy cameras look exactly like real CCTV cameras and it would take an expert to know that it isn’t real.
•  CAN help prevent crime. A dummy security camera can prove to be helpful in preventing crime as the sight of a camera is enough to deter criminals from attempting a crime.
• Can be used to strengthen your security network at minimal cost. Add it along with real CCTV cameras and your network suddenly looks much stronger.  

CONS 

• Cannot record real footage. There are people who feel that a dummy security camera is a cheap but working CCTV camera. No. It is what the name suggests, a DUMMY or a replica.
• A seasoned shoplifter will eventually find out that the camera is a fake when he/she is not caught after repeated offences.
• Some models have a red LED light on the front panel that shows that the camera is working. But very few original cameras have such LED lights and this light itself can be an indicator that the camera is a fake one.
• Can give a sense of implied security.  

The Final Verdict 

The usage of dummy security cameras should be determined by one’s personal preferences. Yes, at times they can prove to be ineffective but it is also true that when used at the right place, they can prove to be extremely effective in preventing crime. But the best way to use them would be to pair them up with other security gadgets like door/window alarms & motion sensors so that you always have a back up.

I was visiting my cousin in Connecticut last week and was surprised to find that his house was protected by the latest gizmos and gadgets. I could see a large signboard proclaiming that his house was protected by CCTV security cameras, right from across the street. The moment I entered his driveway, I could see a large box like gadget following me and my car. I figured that this was a camera and I was under surveillance. Other than this, there were two dome cameras outside mounted on the ceiling, sticking out like a sore thumb and three cameras inside the home as well. Wow! I was impressed for sure. But I had two questions bubbling in my mind and I popped it to him without even waiting for an exchange of pleasantries. 

•1.    Do you really need all this security?

•2.    It musta cost you a bunch! How did you manage?  

And boy, both the answers surprised me! 

On my way back home, I was thinking and thinking like I have never done before. And I stopped my car just outside my gate and took a casual walk on the street looking at my house all the while. It was exactly like my cousin had said it would be. But I had never noticed it before. So let me take you back to his answer to my first question so that it will make things clearer. 

“Hey bob, we all feel that everything bad only happens to someone else and never to us. And as a result, we are never prepared mentally to meet an untoward and unexpected incident. It happened to me last month when burglars broke into my garage and stole equipment worth a few thousand dollars. I considered it to be pure bad luck and informed the cops. But just after a week, they struck again. This time, there wasn’t anything to take away. But I was shocked out of my stupor. And the result, is what you just saw as you entered. If you feel that all this is mere extravagance and that you don’t really need it, then go back and take a walk on the street across your home. Now, look at your home. What are the ways in which a burglar can break into your home? Are there shrubs where he can hide? Is it easy to break into your garage? Is it easy to access your home through windows? I bet that you are in for a big surprise Bob old buddy!” 

He was right. In fact, Bruce couldn’t have been more right. My house looked like a sitting duck. There were large shrubs right outside my home. What looked like an ornamental plant from inside the house looked like a hiding place from the outside. The window on the upper floor was easily accessible. The garage had no protection other than an old mechanical lock which even my 8 year old daughter could break with a little effort. Suddenly, my house looked totally vulnerable. I had found my answer myself. 

Now for the second answer that surprised me even more. Bruce had smiled and said that “The whole set up cost me $200″.  I had assumed that all the security setup would have cost him a fair deal. But all those gadgets including the security cameras and the large signboard had cost him just $200. Yes, the reason is that most of those cameras were dummy security cameras. They are designed to look exactly like a real camera but, they do not record any footage. But of what use is a dummy camera when it cannot record anything? 

The objective of the dummy camera is to prevent a crime and not gather evidence. The mere sight of these cameras usually deters burglars from entering the premises because they cannot detect that it is a fake one. One of the dummy cameras that followed me as I entered his driveway was a motion detector enabled one. It follows people as they walk fooling them into believing that they are under surveillance. Exactly, like it had fooled me. For just $200, he had secured his home. 

So, I am all set to give my home security a new meaning. No, I do not need real cameras. At least, not now! But dummy cameras, I can certainly afford and if it does the job, then why not?