Choosing The Right Dummy Security Camera

So what’s the difference between a fake and a dummy CCTV camera anyway? Semantics basically, just two different words to describe the same thing, but you’ll see both terms used interchangeably so get used to it. Anyway, the questions to consider here are: what types of fake security cameras are available, how are they best integrated with most modern home surveillance systems, and, of course, are they of any use?

In many respects a dummy security camera is a lot like a dummy burglar alarm or even a dummy speeding camera. Its primary purpose is a) to be seen and b) act as a warning. Done properly there is no easy way to distinguish a fake from the genuine article and given this uncertainty most people will play safe and seek out another property (or road) rather than risk the possibility that it’s real and therefore liable to catch them out.

Again, like the market in fake burglar alarms, the best fake security cameras are in fact authentic body shells identical in every way to a real camera but not actually housing any working parts. You can get cheap dummy cameras that sort of look like a CCTV camera casing but these are not really going to fool many people, least of all an experienced burglar, so the first piece of advice is to use real camera bodies, including the brackets that go with them. These are obviously more expensive than the low-grade budget fakes, but still considerably less than a working camera yet superficially completely indistinguishable from one.

However, unlike a burglar alarm where there is typically just a single large, highly visible box mounted up high, when people install domestic surveillance systems they invariably need to make use of a number of cameras in order to cover different aspects. Otherwise, real or not, intruders would simply figure out the blind spots and approach from one of those angles. What this means is that when purchasing your dummy camera housings you should buy a number of the same type so that it looks like a coordinated system. This also aids visual detection (remember, the point of this is not covert surveillance but to be highly visible) since it’s much easier once one camera has been spotted to then identify any others.

Now you need to consider what type of fake cameras to choose. It’s rare in domestic setting to want to install dummy cameras indoors; people tend not to notice them anyway and indoor surveillance applications usually call for covert monitoring which means functional and discreet cameras (one of the main advantages of network cameras). So you need to go for something that looks like most people’s idea of an external CCTV camera and that is clearly visible (though hopefully without making your home resemble a high security prison).

In fact, the easiest way to choose a dummy security camera is to first install one or more real ones and then buy empty housings that match the working camera(s). This gives the best of both worlds since you have a proper working surveillance system that will record activity, but which appears more extensive than it is with the inclusion of strategically placed fakes of the same type. The other great benefit to this approach is that you will then already have the mounting brackets and camera bodies (and possibly also “fake” wiring) installed should you later want to add some more real cameras to the setup.

Installing Fake Security Cameras

The best place to locate a dummy security camera is where it can both be seen and appears to have an effective field of view. If adopting the recommended approach of mixing real and dummy CCTV cameras then precedence should be given to the real ones so that they can capture the most information, then use the fakes to make the system seem more comprehensive and to simply draw attention to the fact that there is a surveillance system in operation.

You never want to position a camera where it might be exposed to inspection or vandalism (or theft even!). Therefore high up is good as it prevents anyone taking a good look at it or interfering with it. Also, real cameras tend to be mounted fairly up high not only to protect them but also because you can usually obtain a much wider field of view, and of course they’re much more visible. But don’t go to extremes – the point of CCTV surveillance is usually to provide visual recognition and filming the tops of people’s heads doesn’t really help.

Something that will really give away a fake security camera is the absence of wires. Real cameras need at the very least a power supply cable and it can usually be seen either snaking along the outside or disappearing back into a hole drilled in the wall. So if you want to complete the illusion then you should ensure that you also fake the wiring; alternatively if you intend to maybe upgrade the dummy cases to functioning cameras later it might be worth actually laying out the cabling for real (just don’t plug it in, clearly).

At night it might not be possible for the cameras to be seen which rather defeats their purpose so another aspect to consider is lighting. Either place a dummy camera somewhere that gets illuminated by street lighting for example, or if possible install some lighting of your own. An effective solution is to simply install a regular PIR security light such that should anyone approach, it not only floods the place with light but also clearly reveals the presence of a camera.

Finally, even if you have done everything possible to ensure your security cameras are highly visible and that no-one can tell which if any are real or fake, some folk are just plain dumb. So for this group it doesn’t hurt to spell it out for them, literally, with a small notice on the front door or gate advising that CCTV surveillance is permanently in operation at your property. Also, you can easily thwart the determined yet stupid by adopting simple measures such as hiding valuables inside a diversion safe.

Do Dummy Or Fake CCTV Cameras Work?

So do dummy security cameras actually work? By which we mean, do they deter would be intruders (since they obviously don’t “work” as such)? Opinions vary but the consensus is that, yes, they do. Some people choose to ignore cameras regardless and for this group it makes no difference whether the camera is real or a fake. Clearly, a real camera would at least film them so you would have some means of later identifying whoever it was and taking appropriate action. But the point is that apart from this small hardcore of, frankly, morons and low-life scum then the presence of a camera is generally sufficient to encourage most people to move on.

The police frequently interview burglars who they have managed to apprehend (yes, it does happen) in order to build up a profile of this sort of person and time and again the same themes are repeated. The reason they picked on the property they broke into was in a large part because there was no visible sign of occupation, no burglar alarm and no security cameras.

Burglaries are notoriously difficult for the police to solve because it is relatively easy for the culprits to leave almost no forensic evidence to work with. The offenders themselves are also well aware of this fact plus the reality that if they are caught they face quite lengthy prison sentences – the sheer number of previous offences that convicted burglars often admit to shows how long they can maintain their activities without in fact being caught. Accordingly they invariably choose very low risk targets – being caught, either in person or on camera, can prove to be a seriously “career” limiting move and an unnecessary one when they can simply pass on to check out the next house.

Incidentally, do you know how most burglars determine whether or not your home is occupied? Simple, they ring the front door bell to see if anyone answers. Which means that is a really, really good place to put a camera (and if you have real ones, ensure you capture a good shot of everyone who comes to the front door) plus any notices warning that your property is under constant surveillance.