WTHRHigh-tech security for less money

High-tech security for less money

Steve Jefferson/Eyewitness News

Indianapolis - In this economy, we want to protect everything we have. Home security using video cameras is much more affordable these days.

David Edmondson, 23, showed us how two men jumped out of the bushes and robbed him. It happened in the dark as he returned home from work around 6:00 am.

"They put the pistol in my face and tried to hit me and I dodged them," he said. "They stood over me and they put the pistols in my face. They stood over me and told me to give them everything I had."

The suspects took off running, taking everything Edmondson had on him.

"Cell phone, keys to the house, keys to my truck, money, personal notebook," he said.

What they didn't know is that cameras record everything outside Edmondson's home.

"I don't believe he knows there are cameras. It's dark right now," Edmondson said, watching the footage.

One of them recorded video of somebody casing Edmondson's house the night before. Like the warning sign in the front yard, a few of their cameras are obvious. Others are not, like the one hidden in a tree to record suspicious activity.

"That was him. I have seen him. There is no question in my mind. The guy comes up with a gun in my face. I am never going to forget his face," said Edmondson.

"A lot of people are scared," said Bruce Chandler, Sentinel Alarm Systems.

Home Security Expert Bruce Chandler has seen a 20-percent increase in sales and expects that number to continue to grow.

"It used to be people could not afford them. Now they are a lot more affordable and they do a lot more," said Chandler.

Systems range from a small bullet camera to ones that are visible from the street.

"A lot times you can put this under somebody's eave and it's not very noticeable," said Chandler. "There are a few houses that get this big bulky one and that is where they want people to see this."

You can see what your home camera sees from anywhere, thanks to technology. Some homeowners are buying cameras systems online. Prices start from around $299.

Bruce Chandler even showed us how to tune in on an iphone.

"It doesn't have to be an iPhone. It could be any cell or PDA. You can actually remote control the camera," said Chandler.

For Edmondson, the recording could help police find and identify his attackers. He hopes having cameras hidden and otherwise makes him feel a little safer at home.

"I would hope that it could help reduce the crime," he said.

There's a wide range of prices for video camera systems depending on your needs. A single, professional-grade camera runs about $300. A four-camera system with a digital recorder costs $2,000. If you want to get really hi-tech, a camera with a pan, tilt and zoom is $5,000. The cost of installing those cameras varies.

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