What would you do if you heard there was suspicious activity around your neighborhood, or even worse, around your home?
I know I don’t take kindly to people being all in my business and personal belongings. Just because we’re not home doesn’t mean that’s an invitation for someone to come snooping around.
If you’ve ever been in this situation, you know how it feels. If you haven’t, that’s great, I’m going to help you keep it that way by giving you the tools to catch someone snooping around your house.
Setting up security cameras, asking your neighbors for help, buying a home security system, and getting a dog are all easy ways to catch someone creeping around your house.
Keep reading to learn more about where to set up security cameras, how to ask neighbors for help, or the benefits of a home security system. Or scroll further down the page to see what some of the best dog breeds are to get yourself a guard dog.
How to Catch Someone Snooping Around Your House Using Cameras
A sure-fire way to catch someone snooping around your house is by installing security cameras.
They’re inexpensive, easy to use, and hard to hide from.
Today’s cameras can be streamed directly to your smartphone. They have a built-in motion sensor lens that automatically turns on whenever motion is detected. Meaning if someone suspicious passes by, the camera will automatically turn on and start streaming directly to your smartphone.
So no matter where you are in the world, you can always have eyes on your home.
A lot of today’s cameras contain batteries that have a long life so you don’t have to be a tech wiz to set them up. There’s no wires to run through your home, just mount them, connect them to the wifi and you’re all set.
No one is sneaking up on you when you have cameras installed.
Where To Set up Your Security Camera to Catch People Snooping Around Your Home
Okay, when you’re setting up cameras, you want to make sure of two things:
- That they can record as much of your home as possible.
- That they are difficult to reach or remove so they can’t be easily tampered with.
By making sure of these two things, you’ll be able to protect your home as much as possible.
We know the camera has to be set up somewhat high, so it’s best to place the camera at least 10ft high, preferably around 12ft high. This height is perfect because it gives the camera space to be able to scan as much of your property as possible. It’s also high enough that it’s difficult for people to tamper with.
A general rule of thumb for setting up more than one camera is to make sure each camera covers the other’s blind spots.
The overall goal is to be able to record as much of your property as possible.
Enlist The Help of Your Neighbors
Even with cameras, no one person can watch them 24/7, so it’s always nice to have other options.
Another good idea is to get to know your neighbors and enlist their help in keeping the neighborhood safe.
This way you kill two birds with one stone.
You get to know each other as you make the neighborhood a safer place to live. This could be an official neighborhood watch program with a Facebook page, regular meetings, etc…
Or you could keep it simple by just asking your neighbor to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity while you’re away.
The neighborhood watch can help build a community within your neighborhood which can lead to lower crime rates because it gets everyone involved in the process. As an added bonus, it can lead to better bonds with your neighbors.
A win-win situation in my book.
Setting Up a Home Security System
Another good way to catch someone creeping around your house is by setting up a home security system like ADT. Most home security systems come with motion sensors, security cameras, and 24/7 home monitoring.
This way, if they break-in, the police are immediately called, any would-be burglars are more likely to be caught in the act. By getting a home security system, you’re less likely to be broken into because it makes your home a harder target. No would-be burglar wants to go through the extra hassle of dealing with a security system and the quick response time of the police.
They are also pretty affordable, depending on the plan you choose, prices can be as low as under $30/month.
A home security system can be a good option for someone who isn’t home often but wants the comfort of knowing someone is monitoring their home 24/7.
Getting a Dog
Getting a dog is a simple and cheap way to protect your home when you’re not around and catch someone lurking around your house.
It’s a big reason you see it in a lot of low-income areas.
Dogs usually don’t come with a huge monthly premium to protect your home. And you don’t need any special skills to get them to protect your home.
Dogs are a man’s best friend and will protect their home like it’s their own — because it is.
But that doesn’t mean that dogs are free.
The cost of a dog is like an addition to the family. They need food, love, attention, and exercise so that they can thrive in their environment. In return, they protect the home they love.
You just have to make sure to choose a dog breed that makes for good guard dogs.
Choosing the Right Breed for a Guard Dog to Catch Someone Snooping
Some dogs are naturally more protective than others, and when looking for a guard dog, that’s exactly what we want.
We want a dog who is loyal, fearless, and watchful.
A dog that will spring into action if they see someone suspicious coming into their home.
Some of the best dog breeds for a guard dog are:
- Akita
- Bullmastiff
- Cane Corso
- Doberman
- German Shepherd
- Rottweiler
My personal favorites out of these are the German Shepherd or the Rottweiler.
German Shepherds are smart, courageous, and confident. They play well with children and are eager to please when it comes time to train.
It’s one of the reasons law enforcement agencies use German Shepherds rather than any other dog breed. They have a personality that is more adaptable and easier to train while also being smart enough to do the tasks required of them.
Rottweilers on the other hand are loyal, loving, confident, and guardians.
They have the ideal characteristics of a guard dog because they are fiercely loyal and protective of what’s theirs. The only issue is they don’t play well with small children.
But if you don’t have kids, or have kids that aren’t toddlers anymore, then it’s not an issue.
It’s only really an issue for small children like a toddler because Rottweilers don’t know their own strength when they play, so they can hurt small children without meaning to.
After deciding which dog breed is right for you, all that’s left to do is some light training once the dog is old enough.
The training would consist of teaching the dog how to socialize with others so that the dog knows friend from foe and doesn’t make the unlucky mistake of biting a friend.
By taking these steps, you can catch anyone who comes creeping around your house and dramatically lowers the chances they bother to creep at all.