Do CCTV cameras actually deter burglars?

Yes, but not on their own. Visible CCTV makes a house a less attractive target, and research reviews have linked CCTV to a modest fall in crime, with the strongest effects in car parks and residential areas. But a camera is one layer of security, not a lock. It works best alongside good doors, good lighting and a home that looks occupied.

Here is how to think about it like an intruder would.

How burglars choose a house

Most burglaries are not carefully planned operations. They are opportunities. Someone walks or drives past, spots a house that looks easy, and makes a quick judgement about three things:

1. Can I get in easily? An open window, a weak back door, a side gate left unlocked.
2. Will anyone see me? A hidden side passage, a dark garden, high hedges.
3. Will I get caught? Signs that someone is home, nosy neighbours, cameras.

CCTV works on the third question. A visible camera tells a would-be intruder that whatever they do will be recorded. Many will simply move on to a house without one.

When cameras work as a deterrent

Cameras put people off most when:

• They are clearly visible. A camera tucked out of sight records a crime. A camera in plain view can stop one.
• They cover the approach. A camera on the drive or by the side gate is seen before anyone reaches a door or window.
• There is light. A motion light that comes on with the camera makes an intruder feel exposed, and it gives you footage of a face rather than a shape.
• They are combined with other signs. Lights on timers, a car on the drive, a sign on the gate. Together they say: this house is not worth it.

When cameras do not work

Be honest about the limits.

• Determined or experienced criminals are less bothered. They wear hoods, keep their heads down and work quickly. A camera will still give you a record, but it may not stop them.
• Cameras do not stop a door being forced. If your back door is weak, a camera will only show you how it happened.
• Bad footage is no deterrent and no evidence. Cameras mounted too high, pointed into the sun or blinded at night by their own infrared do little either way.
• A camera nobody watches is a recorder, not a guard. Alerts on your phone only help if you act on them.

Do fake cameras work?

Sometimes, but not for long. Dummy cameras are often obvious to anyone who knows what to look for: no cable, a blinking red light that real cameras do not have, or a model that looks cheap. They also give you nothing if something does happen.

If budget is tight, one real, well-placed camera covering the most likely way in is worth more than several fakes.

Signs: worth having

A simple “CCTV in operation” sign on the gate or porch adds to the deterrent. It is also something you should have anyway if your cameras record beyond your own property. See our guide: Is my CCTV legal if it sees next door?

Getting the most from your cameras

1. Cover the routes in first: front door, drive, side passage and back garden. Our guide to where cameras should go on a semi-detached house explains how.
2. Make at least one camera obvious, ideally the one covering the drive or the side gate.
3. Add lighting to the side passage and back garden.
4. Fix the basics: good locks on doors and windows, a locked side gate, tools and ladders locked away.
5. Set up alerts sensibly so your phone only buzzes for people, not passing cars and cats.
6. Check your footage regularly so you know it works before you need it.

The bottom line

Cameras are a good deterrent against opportunists. They are a weaker deterrent against the determined few, but they still give you footage to hand to the police and your insurer. Combined with good locks and lighting, they make your home a harder target than the one next door, and often that is enough.

Rather have it fitted? We place cameras where they are seen and where they catch faces. Get a quote.