Security Cameras and Mailbox Deterrents

Security Cameras for Homes

One of the most important things that are needed for a comprehensive home security solution (in addition to having an alarm system installed) is having cameras. If an incident occurs, the cameras provide the police dept with much needed clues that can assist them in solving the case. Cameras can provide a description of the individuals involved, the time frame and activities before and after the incident, entry/exit routes, vehicles involved, etc..

Below are some suggestions for residents to consider that are currently being used in our community:

Wireless Camera Systems – $

Eufy     Ring     Nest     Arlo     Wyze     Blink

Pros:

Ability to see what took place

Inexpensive

Easy to use

Cons:

Wireless systems can be easily jammed so nothing will be recorded during incidents

Only records when an event is triggered

Wireless Camera System w/ Monitoring – $$

Ring    Arlo     Wyze     Deep Sentinel     Vivnt     SimpiSafe

Pros:

A company is monitoring your cameras so you don’t have to

Monitoring company can dispatch police quicker

Cons:

Wireless systems can be easily jammed so nothing is recorded

Only records when an event is triggered

There is an additional monthly cost for monitoring

Hardwired Camera System – $$$$

Avycon (AHNW Preferred)    Lorex     Axis     Avigilon

Pros:

Able to completely customize the settings and options

Highest quality image 

Many camera options and customizations for specific needs

Cameras are connected by ethernet cables so the images cannot be jammed by thieves and will record during an incident

No monthly fees

Records 24/7 and footage from weeks before can be accessed

Cons:

Expensive

Must be professionally installed

In all of the systems above, a battery backup solution is highly recommended since thieves will turn off the power to the house before entering which we have seen.

This is not a comprehensive list of camera options available on the market today.  There are many more options available so please shop around.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at info@ahnw.net.

Security Cameras for Mailboxes

In Amerige Heights, the mailbox clusters for the single family homes are the property and responsibility of the homeowners as defined in the CC&Rs that were filed with the state and approved by the Postal Service when the community was built in 2003.  Because the community was built on this premise, the HOA does not have jurisdiction over the mailboxes and does not have the financial reserves set aside to replace them.

In order to protect the mailbox clusters from constant vandalism, we have found that the most effective and quickest solution is for residents to purchase and put up their own solar powered cameras and/or motion flood lights to deter people from breaking into them.

Below are some examples of deterrents that some residents have purchased and  installed themselves and have seen a decrease in their mailbox clusters being vandalized.  There are hundreds of cameras and floodlights that can be used for this purpose so please look around and choose what fits your needs the best.

GOOD

Solar-powered Motion Floodlight – $40 + installation 

A resident installed a $40 solar motion-activated floodlight on their side fence that faces the mailbox cluster.  When anyone approaches the mailboxes at night, the light automatically turns on and acts as a deterrent. The bracket to install the light was $10 and screwed into the concrete brick.


BETTER

Ring – from $50 to $200

Option 1: The resident placed the Ring camera on top of the brick wall and glued it in place so that it does not move.

Option 2: The resident mounted the Ring camera onto a 2×4 that was in the ground. 

They connected the camera to their home WiFi so that they are able to view the image from the camera and get alerts.  A small blue light turns on when anyone goes near the mailboxes.

BEST

Eufy Solar powered Wireless Camera – SoloCam S340 $200

The resident screwed the camera onto the wood beam, angled the attached solar panel, connected it to their WiFi and can now view the footage and alerts on their cellphone. This camera has already prevented the vandalism of this mailbox since the thieves clearly saw the light from the camera and decided to drive away as seen in the video below. Please click on image below to view the video.

Ultimate

Eufy Solar powered Triple Lens Wireless Camera – SoloCam S4 $299

This camera can be installed exactly like the cameras above, either attach to the house or mounted on a self-standing pole/2×4. Its strength is that it has 3 lens and can record a wide angle and zoomed image at the same time. It is also solar-powered and can be connected to a resident’s WiFi so that they can view the footage and alerts on their cellphone.

Additional Mailbox Safety Info

  • Trackers
    • It is recommend that residents place a small padded envelope in their mailbox with an Apple/Android Tracker so that a thief’s location can be provided to PD if your mail is stolen.
    • Do not put your personal information on the front of the envelope but rather make something up so that the thief does not know which mailbox they collected the tracker from.
  • Postal Service Informed Delivery
    • Residents should sign up with the Postal Service’s Informed Delivery service.
    • Residents will be emailed a picture of all the mail that is being delivered that day to your mailbox.  
    • If your mail is stolen, you now know what to report to the police dept. The service is free and we encourage every resident to sign up for this service.
  • Mailbox Alert Sensor
    • Install a mailbox alert sensor (shown below left) that notifies you whenever your mail box door is opened.  
    • The goal is to be alerted (shown below right) between 11pm and 5am when most mailbox break-ins take place.  
    • It requires just one homeowner per mailbox cluster to purchase (~$30) and install the unit because it will send an alert when the main door is opened by a thief.
    • Residents should notify Allied Universal ASAP if they receive and after-hours alert.  
    • Since more than one mailbox will be targeted by thieves in a night, Allied will call Fullerton PD and alert them to the area where the  break-ins are currently taking place.
    • Camera footage from nearby mailbox cameras can be forwarded to Allied and PD.
    • This process will provide the community with real-time alerts which will assist PD. 

  • Motion Activated Floodlight

    • Install a motion activated floodlight that points towards the mailbox cluster. This solar powered floodlight outputs 1400 lumens which is substantially brighter than the 100 lumen lights on the cameras above.

  • Cost Sharing

    • Residents can work together to share in the cost of the above items per their mailbox cluster and have them installed.

Checking your mail before 8pm, installing a solar powered camera, solar powered light and mailbox sensor are the easiest and most effective deterrents against mailbox cluster break-ins.