Picking The Right Kind Of CCTV Camera For Your Premises

CCTV remains one of the best ways to protect your property against antisocial behaviour and general criminal activity. In addition, having CCTV installed can also be favourable where insurance premiums are concerned, since it means you are taking steps to protect your home or business.

But when it comes to installing CCTV, a choice needs to be made on the type of CCTV camera design you opt for, as CCTV cameras are made in a wide variety of formats depending on the usage requirements.

Here is an overview of the most common types of CCTV cameras so that you can ensure your property benefits from the highest level of protection. 

Bullet CCTV Cameras

bullet cctv camera

When people imagine a CCTV camera, they are probably seeing what is actually called a bullet CCTV camera. The camera has a long rectangular body and has the advantage of being able to capture an excellent picture quality, as well as the ability for controllers to issue a verbal warning through the camera itself. 

An obvious point to note with bullet CCTV cameras is that their presence is highly noticeable due to their large size and shape. Whether or not this is a pro or con is dependent on the individual. In general, the presence of any CCTV recording warrants a written warning being placed in the area so that the public know they are being recorded. 

However, the appearance of such a prominent design doesn’t suit all property owners. Instead, bullet CCTV cameras are suited for any property owner who wants it to be known that CCTV is monitoring the area, whether this is to offer peace of mind for the public or to show would-be criminals that the property owner means business where their security is concerned.  

Ideal usage: Building exteriors, car parks, city centres, delivery entrances, farmland and warehouses. 

C-Mount CCTV Cameras

C-mount CCTV cameras have a very similar design to a bullet CCTV camera, with the one exception that the camera body itself has the ability to rotate. As with bullet cameras, c-mount cameras are designed for outdoor use and are also very prominent in their design. 

The use of C-mount CCTV cameras is particularly suited to any environment where the controller wants the ability to monitor a situation such as following a suspect. If the camera is in a fixed position, this is difficult to achieve and is reliant on several other cameras to avoid any blind spots. But, the ability to manually control the angle and coverage of a C-mount CCTV camera offers more flexibility.

Once again, C-mount CCTV cameras are probably best suited to commercial use where there is a high demand for both activity monitoring, and the ability to deliver a high quality recording that may be required for any number of reasons. For example, future police enquiries rather than just business use alone. 

Ideal usage: Any commercial environment or large public spaces. 

Dome CCTV Cameras

Remote Monitored CCTV

Dome CCTV cameras have a semi-circle design in which the camera lens sits behind. They have a much smaller and discreet appearance and tend to be fitted onto ceilings, though can also be fixed onto walls or structures as seen in the above image. This type of CCTV camera is suited to both indoor and outdoor environments. 

The movement of the camera is undetectable, which means criminals can’t see whether they are in the frame or not. In addition, the camera offers 360-degree rotation, meaning the operator or motion sensor technology can move at any angle. If the suspect notices the camera and tries to jump behind it, they’ll still be covered because with a 360-angle… there is no hiding behind the camera! 

Ideal usage: Retail units, leisure facilities, residential properties, corridors etc. 

Pan Tilt & Zoom CCTV Cameras

pan and tilt cctv camera

Pan tilt & zoom CCTV cameras have the camera suspended between mechanical parts that allow for the free movement of the camera lens.

It is one of the best CCTV cameras for remote viewing, especially when connected to a control room. That’s because the camera offers endless flexibility so that operators can hone in on exactly what they need to view without the technology hampering their efforts. 

As well as also providing a 360-degree rotation, pan tilt & zoom CCTV cameras also offer an exceptional quality of image resolution. 

Ideal usage: Any environment that has remote CCTV monitoring in place. 

CCTV Installation UK

Need more help choosing the CCTV to protect your home or business? RE:SURE provide CCTV services across the UK and Ireland. 

Get in touch on IRE 01 691 7100 | UK 028 8676 1183 and our friendly team will be more than happy to assist you. 

The Biggest Threats To Home Security

Now that a new year is upon us, it’s time to turn your attention to your home security, especially if you’ve never conducted a security review of your property before, or have sadly been a victim of crime and want to reduce the chances of it happening again.

The best place to start is to look at the biggest threats to your home security since without acknowledging the vulnerabilities, it’s impossible to strengthen your game. So here are some of the top aspects to consider to guide you. 

Not Taking Your Security Seriously

home security

It might sound like an obvious point to start with, but given there were 267,931 burglaries in 2021, it’s clear that improvements still need to be made where home security is concerned. 

Nobody ever thinks a burglary or any other kind of crime will happen to them. However, thoughts alone will not stop you from becoming a victim of crime, though taking preventable action to deter criminals will certainly go a long way to help. 

If you have never taken an objective look at your property to check for vulnerabilities, then now is the time. Consider if there are any ways a criminal could enter the property or any aspects which could be attractive to thieves. Even leaving garden tools outside can make it easy to gain access to your property, and wheelie bins can also be used to access upstairs windows. The sooner any such issues are rectified the better, but you must think like a criminal in order to be able to outsmart them. 

No CCTV

As a supplier and installer of CCTV across the UK and Ireland, it would be impossible for us to cover the biggest threats to home security without mentioning the eyes and ears of your home security – the humble CCTV camera.

Without CCTV, you have no tangible evidence to hand to the police should a crime take place. CCTV can even alert you about suspicious activity before a crime can be committed, whether you happen to be at home, at work or on holiday. Compared with waiting until you get home to experience the devastation of a burglary, CCTV makes it much easier to not only prevent the situation but identify any culprits. 

There are many types of CCTV systems available these days, though here at RE:SURE, we supply remote CCTV monitoring. This means we can communicate with any perpetrators directly and even call the police on your behalf. Your property will never be left unattended as our motion sensor technology will instantly alert us if we need to take action, which we will do without hesitation.

Insecure Boundaries/Fencing

Similar to how Jordan Pickford could be seen animatedly reminding the England defence to keep the ball away from the goal in the 2020 Euros, your fencing is there to do the same job for your property – i.e keep unwanted people away from the goods. 

In domestic homes, the legal height limit for fences is 2 metres (6.5ft), and planting trees or hedges along your boundary walls can offer even more privacy. So if your current fence is either quite low, non-existent or has gaps that need to be repaired, consider that there is nothing stopping criminals from crossing your private land to gain access to your home. Very few criminals happen to be Olympic pole vaulters, hence being able to step right over a boundary line is more than ideal for someone looking to make a quick getaway. 

Gates are also pretty sophisticated these days, with electric gates or gates that have spikes on top some of the most secure available. Another option is to place your mailbox outside so that only those who buzz for access can be allowed into your grounds. Though, you’ll need to place a CCTV camera over your mailbox to prevent theft. 

Lack of lighting

If there’s one thing that puts a spanner in the works when you’re trying to commit a crime, it’s when a strong beam of last is cast upon you. That’s why sensible homeowners install motion sensor lighting so that anyone who approaches their property will instantly be illuminated.

Also, lighting improves the general safety of homeowners too. For example, if looking for your keys or leaving in your car at night, because you’re able to see what is going around you, any would-be attackers have less chance of being able to strike. 

Light will also help improve CCTV image quality, which could make all the difference if it’s relied upon to secure a conviction since the likes of facial features and number plates will be easier to identify. 

Social Media

You might wonder how a few innocent snaps on Facebook or Instagram could possibly cause a security problem for your property.

The reality is, even if your accounts are set to private, there’s still no way of knowing for sure who is viewing the information you post, which could include details of valuable possessions, or even that you are away on holiday meaning nobody is there to stop a burglar. With public accounts, such messaging could potentially reach hundreds if not thousands of people without you even realising it. 

In addition, social media posts that reveal you are on holiday may also invalidate your insurance if a burglary were to take place, seen as in the eye of insurers, announcing your home will be vacant is practically sending out an invitation to criminals. 

Inferior Locking Systems

broken locks security issues

When was the last time you changed your locks, let alone upgraded them? Given how easy it is to have a copy of a key made, if you live in rented accommodation especially, then any number of people could have a key to the property.

Likewise, inferior locks that are easy to pick or don’t have a multi-point locking system could be easy to break into. 

If you haven’t caught our post on smart locks, we’d highly recommend giving it a read to learn how to best protect your home or commercial building. 

CCTV Installation

We hope the above tips have given you food for thought when it comes to improving your home security.

As mentioned, the one aspect we can certainly help you with is installing CCTV in your home, whether you currently don’t have any systems installed, or want to upgrade to remote CCTV monitoring

We’re ready and waiting to help secure your property, so please get in touch on IRE 01 691 7100 | UK 028 8676 1183 and our friendly team will assist you further. 

Is Wireless CCTV Better Than Wired?

Making the decision to install CCTV outside your home or business premises is a smart move. From the moment the installation is complete, you will have full access to the goings-on around your property, meaning if any crime or suspicious behaviour is detected, you’ll be able to act on it. Plus, CCTV means you can provide tangible evidence to the police which is more likely to lead to a conviction if any offence takes place on your property.

Continue reading Is Wireless CCTV Better Than Wired?

Can CCTV Be Used As Evidence In Court?

CCTV is a multifaceted tool in the fight against crime, as not only can remote CCTV stop a crime while it’s taking place but the footage the cameras capture can also be used at a later date. Most notably, this includes court cases, as CCTV is designed to capture the who, what, how, and when related to all things crime.

Continue reading Can CCTV Be Used As Evidence In Court?

A Guide To Retail Security

Figures released by the British Retail Consortium found that crime costs the retail industry £2.2 billion per year. Some of the crimes most commonly reported in the study included theft, stock damage, physical abuse and fraud. 

Whether your business is a multinational company or a small independent trader on the high street, any loss to your business through crime can prove extremely costly. It can also have a negative impact on the customer experience, whether customers witness crime or worse still is a victim of a crime while in your store. 

Continue reading A Guide To Retail Security

5 Signs It’s Time To Upgrade Your Security Systems

The purpose of security systems such as CCTV, burglar alarms, secure fencing, motion sensor technology, smart locks etc is to protect your property from criminal activity.

The presence of any security system is sometimes enough of a deterrent, though each type of system is designed to either scare off the criminal or prevent them from being able to carry out their intended action.

Continue reading 5 Signs It’s Time To Upgrade Your Security Systems

What is Off Site Monitoring & How Does it work?

Security is such a big part of everyone’s lives now but it’s still a very overlooked aspect of everything that we do. From checking your privacy and cookie settings when browsing the web to installing CCTV around your property and investing in off-site monitoring. These things are all must-know information to stay protected.

Continue reading What is Off Site Monitoring & How Does it work?

A Guide To Starting Your Home Security From Scratch

If you’ve ever been unfortunate enough to experience theft in your home, then you will sadly know the mental implications far outweigh the cost of replacing what has been stolen. The reality is that while we may view our home as a place of sanctuary, intruders simply see your possessions as pound signs.

Continue reading A Guide To Starting Your Home Security From Scratch

Where Physical Security And Cyber Security Meet And Work Together

The classic view of a security threat is a burglar cloaked in black clothing, tiptoeing at your door in the middle of the night trying to get in. However, the reality is that security threats come in many different forms especially now we are in the digital age.

Continue reading Where Physical Security And Cyber Security Meet And Work Together