With the cost of CCTV systems reducing quite dramatically over recent years, a camera system for the home and small business has now become a viable security add-on for the majority of people. Current estimates suggest that as many as 5% of households now employ some form of CCTV, be it a simple single camera that views callers at the entrance door or a full-blown system which can monitor and record anything that takes place within the curtilage of the dwelling. Business ownership of CCTV is, of course, considerably higher.

Domestic uses include:

• Deterring people from committing offences both inside and outside the home
• Gathering evidence of criminal activity, should crime occur
• Providing an image of a caller at the door before it is answered
• Watching over vehicles parked to the front or side of the home
• Enabling remote observation of the family home (inside and out) when the occupants are at work or away on holiday
• Checking to see if deliveries were made
• Remotely checking to see if employed persons, such as cleaners and builders turned up for work and left at the appropriate times
• Remotely checking on children or other family members when the householder is out for the evening
• Checking the grounds of the home from the comfort of the armchair
• Checking on children’s bedrooms after bedtime