Why would anyone bother with a fake surveillance camera when there are real losses incurred due to vandalism and other malicious activity? The answer might seem obvious to many who would initially assume that the presence of a security camera is enough to deter most criminal behavior. Those who assume such rationale for installing a fake home surveillance camera are correct. It is a similar concept to installing lighting security to deter burglars. The important thing is that the camera is both obvious without revealing any tells that it is a dummy. There is a direct correlation between effectiveness of a fake surveillance cameras and how realistic it would appear to unassuming people.
There are a number of ways a camera can appear to be real when it is actually a fake. First of all, we do not want a something that looks like a cheap fake surveillance camera since that might make it detectable as a fake. Upon discovering that it is a fake, we can assume that criminals would be encouraged since the owner of the camera loses credibility. There is an assumption that someone using a fake camera probably is too cheap or ignorant to properly monitor and protect their property and therefore can easily be taken advantage off. The criminal will feel that they have such an imposter figured out and can get away with anything.
Many fake cameras do actually appear very much like a real camera and even act like one. Some have led lights that blink or turn on to indicate some recording activity is going on. Some use motion sensors to follow moving objects which work really well in scaring away unwanted strangers. The key is to keep it consistent with the rest of your security camera system if you have more than one camera.
Try mounting them the same way so that the fake cannot be detected. If it is an entire system of fakes, that is okay too. Simply install them exactly the same so it appears more legitimate. If you have a system of real cameras with visible cables, then make sure the fake has matching cables. Mount them the same way and try using the same housing if they are outdoor security cameras.
A combination of lighting security and fake video surveillance cameras will work wonders in many situations. Since lighting security works on the same principle of scaring away petty crime, adding some fake cameras into the mix will just up the ante that much more. Take that comparison into careful consideration, however. If what you are monitoring and protecting is not worth a real camera and lighting security is good enough, then fake security cameras are right for your situation. Otherwise, don’t gamble and hope that the fake camera is good enough. Usually, more valuable property will cost more to protect so don’t go cheap and use fake cameras when you really should be monitoring for real.