INSTALLING HOME SECURITY CAMERAS IN TEXAS
Crime may not be bigger in Texas but it should still be a big concern. Although property crimes in Texas have been on a steady decline they do still happen. Don’t become another statistic. Ensure that you and your family are safe by purchasing a commercial grade UltraHD 4K NVR and 4MP or 8MP IP cameras from Montavue. If crime ain’t big in Texas it’s because home security surveillance is.
PROPERTY CRIME
Property Crime is a general term that defines the act of theft or destruction of property usually without violence or the threat of violence. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program includes the following offenses in their definition for Property crime. “property crime includes the offenses of burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. The object of the theft-type offenses is the taking of money or property, but there is no force or threat of force against the victims. The property crime category includes arson because the offense involves the destruction of property; however, arson victims may be subjected to force. Because of limited participation and varying collection procedures by local law enforcement agencies, only limited data are available for arson.” (1)
PROPERTY CRIME TRENDS FOR TEXAS
“property crime made up 89.2% of all crime reported in Texas.”
The number of property crimes reported in Texas in 2015 was 775,392. This was a decrease of 3.6% from 2014. However, it is important to note that property crime made up 89.2% of all crime reported in Texas. Also important is that of all property crime reported 20.7% were Burglaries and 70.9% were larceny-theft. The 2015 property crime rate was 2,822.8 crimes per 100,000 Texans. As you can see despite the drop in property crime rates, it is still a very real problem and makes up the majority of crimes committed in the state of Texas. The good news is that new security technology is catching more criminals. UltraHD 4K NVR’s and 8MP IP cameras produce sharp clear pictures allowing suspects to be clearly identified. In addition, advances in infrared night vision and color night optics have enabled the ability to capture high-quality images at night. Furthermore, new innovations in intelligent video surveillance allow you to be automatically alerted when anyone enters your property. Combine this with remote viewing apps such as MontavueGo and you can catch would be thieves before they can escape with your valuables.
HOME BURGLARIES IN TEXAS
Of all the reported burglaries in Texas, 69% were residential break-ins. In 2015 the estimated value of property reported stolen in Texas was over 1 trillion dollars. The stolen items included vehicles, electronics, jewelry, money, clothing and other household goods. Many of which were never recovered. However, with the installation of an UltraHD 4K NVR and 8MP or 4MP IP cameras from Montavue, the chances of recovering your belongings are increased.
WHY ARE THE MAJORITY OF CRIMES THEFT?
There are many reasons why so many crimes in Texas are larceny-thefts. One possible cause is a trend that has been spreading across the United States called package theft. The convenience of two-day shipping has created a boom in Americans having packages delivered to their homes. This has created a unique opportunity for a new type of criminal. Often referred to as Porch Pirates, these criminals will cruise neighborhoods stealing packages that have been delivered to peoples homes. A recent report released by insurance quotes.com reveals that 23 million Americans have had packages stolen from their homes before they could open them. This form of theft has become popular because of the low amount of risk involved. If a home does not have any security cameras or surveillance system then there is little to prevent someone from simply picking up a package from your porch. Home security cameras, IP cameras, and Montavue’s 8MP and 4MP IP cameras have been proven to deter this kind of behavior. By installing a home security system correctly your odds of becoming a victim of property crime decrease significantly. But you need to make sure you have placed in a place where In an article by USA today Oakland CHP Officer Sean Wilkenfeld stated that security cameras, “are only useful if they are high enough quality to see a face and a big advantage is to have one on the corner of your house pointed towards the street for license plates. License plates are a great lead for any department.”
TEXAS PENAL CODE REVISIONS
Texas recently revised their laws regarding property crime. Previously a Class A misdemeanor involved property valued at $500 or more but less than $1,500. That meant that if the property was valued at more than $1,500 than the offense became a Felony. In September 2015 the law was revised along with the property crime “value ladder.” This value ladder dictates what the punishment is for a particular value range of stolen property. The revision increases the threshold for a property crime to be considered a felony. Now the value of the property must be greater than $2,500 to be considered a felony. This may cause a rise in home burglaries and package theft because the risk of jail time is greatly reduced. Which makes now a good time to invest in an UltraHD 4K NVR and 4MP IP cameras to protect yourself from the risk of theft.
