When a Stranger Eyeballs Your Home Security Camera

You are startled when a strange face caught by your home security camera looks at you from your PC screen. The stranger is in your bedroom and he is blissfully unaware that he's on camera! What do you do next?

Hot Numbers to Have at All Times

When your home security camera captures a strange face looking at you from your PC screen you want to jump into the monitor and clobber him and gloat Storm's line in the X-Men "You know what happens when a toad gets stuck by lightning? The same thing that happens to everything else." Corny line but you get the satisfaction letting him know who the boss is; but you can't. You're far away from home and you don't have the speed of the Beast.

Anybody who has installed a home security camera should be ready for this kind of encounter. Since you're no X-men, you can't rush out of the office and be home in a flash. You can only call your friendly neighbor and the police or alert the people at home to get out of the house fast before the "bad guy" decides to take a hostage or harm them in any way.

Who do you call first? If the kids are at home with the nanny, call the nanny first and tell her to grab the kids and get out of the house fast. Next call 911 or the police and they'll do the rest after you give clear directions to your home. Now you know which numbers you must have in case your home security camera captures a stranger's face.

When It's too Late to Catch the Thief

When the intruder is not nabbed on time, the video recording from the home security camera is enough to provide evidence for the police. The recorded images will be compared with the mug shots of common felons prowling the area.

The experience should teach you to double check all windows and doors, the basement and the attic. Movement and smoke detection alarms should be immediately installed because you can never be smug about your home security.

Work out a drill for family members and the nanny if there is one and involve the nearest neighbor to cooperate and extend the same the support to this neighbor in case thieves break into his house too.

The Drill

If you and your spouse are out at work Mondays to Fridays then the drill should be for your nanny and kids. Nanny and kids should be all together in one place at all times and the best place would be the living room where nanny can grab everybody and hustle them out of the door before the intruder senses company. Thus, everything the kids need for the day should be stationed in the living room or within easy reach. Nanny should be taught to keep an eye on the monitor in case the home security camera picks up something unusual.

Let nanny understand that there is no sense making a ruckus and panicking. She must quietly pick up the kids and get out fast. She must make it to the neighbor's doorstep and then call the police. While you watch your PC's monitor and follow the movements of the thief from your home security camera, take note of everything you see the thief removes from your room. You will need the information for the police. When you see a stranger's face, get everybody moving!