How to turn your old smart phone into a home security camera

The majority of us will have some sort of unused smart phone lying around our house, there are many different ways you can utilise your old smart phone so that it doesn’t remain unused. One way to ‘recycle’ your old smart phone is relatively easy and can bring you peace of mind when you are away from home is to turn into a home security camera.

Below are the different methods for turning an Android or iOS smart phone into a home security camera...

How to turn your old Android phone into a home security camera

1. Download the Home Security IPCamera App (Free) from the Google Play Store 

2. Follow the installation instructions on the Home Security IPCamera App 

3. Login to Trackview using the Home Security IPCamera App, you can login using your existing Gmail account user name and password. 

4. Set up your smart phone anywhere in your home you wish to monitor. Using the Home Security IP Camera App you can monitor, track or buzz using the smart phone you carry with you every day. You can also check the alert messages, record and playback your clips.

5. The Home Security IPCamera App allows you to use more than one device so if you have more than one unused smart phone lying around, you could use the steps above to set it up as an additional home security camera (just make sure you use the same login for all the devices you wish to use). 

How to turn your old iPhone into a home security camera

1. Download the Manything App (Free) from the App Store 

2. Follow the installation instructions on the Manything App

3. Register your device

4. Press record

5. Login into manything.com to watch live, playback to any point in time and to create and share your clips from your desktop computer or the iPhone you use every day.

6. The Manything App also allows you to connect to connect to any smarthome features you may have installed your home via the IFTTT channel.

Stay secure at a festival this summer

Stay secure at a festival this summer with our guide to festival security.

Did you know that one in seven festival goers have been a victim of theft at a festival?

As figures suggest, the risk of crime at a festival is relatively high and can be considerably costly for those who attend, with it being reported that an estimated £190,000 worth of possessions were stolen at seven of the UK’s biggest festivals.

1. Take only the essentials

Try to take only the essentials to a festival. The fewer valuables you take the least likely are you to be a victim of theft.

2. Register any valuables

If you do decide to take any valuables with you such as a smart phone or tablet make sure you register them so if the worse did happen it will help to make recovery easier. You can register any valuables for free by visiting www.immobilise.com

3. Don’t leave any valuables in your vehicle

By leaving any valuables in your car you could be leaving yourself vulnerable to being a victim of theft as your car will be unattended for long periods of time whilst you enjoy the festival.

4. Remove any suction marks from your windscreen

If you have used a sat nav to find the festival’s venue make sure you remove any suction marks from your windscreen as failure to do so could alert a thief that there may be valuables such as a sat nav stored inside your vehicle.

5. Don’t bring large amounts of money, expensive jewellery, watches or costume jewellery that appears to be of value.

6. Use a site locker to store anything of value

If you do decide to bring any valuables to a festival don’t leave them in your tent or car instead use the site lockers to store them. These can usually be booked in advance and are open 24 hours a day.

7. Mark any valuables

Any valuables you do take to a festival should be marked with your details using a UV pen.

8. Extend your home insurance to include personal belongings

Home insurance provider Aviva advise extending your home and contents insurance to include personal belongings cover otherwise you may end up facing a bill of replacing lost or stolen items.

Keytek™ get ready to launch new home security shop

If upgrading your home security is on your agenda this summer or your thinking of protecting something special, then checking in with Keytek™ should be at the top of your list.

The Keytek™ brand is expanding, and exciting times are approaching for us all here at Keytek™, as the final touches are added to our very first online shop. It’s not far from launch day and after weeks of sorting through picking and discarding products; we are all pleased to let you know that in the next few weeks our shop will be open for business. Keytekshop will be supplying you with lots of high quality additions for your home security, from some of the best brands in security - just in time for summer!

Home safes, cash boxes, and additional home security options are some of the many things we’ve included in our product line from top brands like Yale and Master lock. So if you’re in need of a little upgrade on your home security or would like to protect something valuable Keytek shop is the perfect place to find it. You can also expect to see lots of additional benefits from us to make you’re shopping as care free as possible like our online chat support, return policy and after sales service, along with a low price guarantee. 

To kick it all off we’ve got lots of amazing discounts, giveaways and promotions ready for our launch! But we can’t give too much way too soon, so keep posted on our social media for all our updates on the countdown to open day. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter to receive updates on the launch and special offers for email subscribers!  

Avoiding a repeat burglary

Did you know that one in four burglary victims have had their home targeted again after the burglary occurred (Victim Support)?

Unfortunately as figures suggest if you were to be burgled a second time it is likely to be by the same person as they will often believe if they didn’t get caught the first time they won’t get caught the second time therefore your home is more likely to be targeted again. He or she already knows the layout of your home and will most likely wait until you have replaced any stolen items.

If you have already been a victim of burglary, you should take action to prevent it from happening again...

1. Review the security of your home

Take a look round and use the Home Security checklist which you can download here to review the security of your home. Alternatively call a local locksmith on 0800 035 0451 to book in a home security and insurance compliance check.

2. Replace all damaged locks

Make sure any locks on doors or windows that were damaged as a result of the first burglary are replaced by a locksmith. This will also be the best opportunity for you to upgrade your locks to ones that will help to protect your home should a burglar strike again such as the ABS High Security Euro Cylinder. The ABS High Security Euro Cylinder is designed to prevent a burglar from using the snapping method to gain entry on an uPVC or double glazed door.

  

3. Fit lights with motion sensors

Have motion sensing lights fitted to the outside of your home so that the exterior of your home and garden is well lit. This will act as a great burglary deterrent as they are often more confident in the dark.

4. Fit an alarm system

Yale has designed a range of alarms called the ‘Easy Fit Range’ which will allow you to easily install a DIY home alarm system. Each product in the range harnesses pre-programmed wirefree technology and comes with Velcro strips so you don’t have to drill into your wall.  The range is available in four different kits, alongside a range of accessories so that you can tailor your alarm system in order to suit the security of your home.

5. Join your local Neighbourhood Watch scheme

You can find your local Neighbourhood Watch by visiting www.ourwatch.org.uk

Garden Home Security

Keep your garden and home secure by taking these simple home security steps...

1. Keep your garden tidy

Keeping your front garden tidy and secure could help to prevent a break-in. Generally a tidier garden will deter an intruder from even trying to break-in your home as it gives the impression your home may be more secure and harder to break into where as an untidy garden could give the opposite impression.

2. Trim your hedges

Trim back any hedges and make sure the front of your house is clearly visible from the road as a burglar will be more confident if they cannot be seen by your neighbours or any passersby. Gates, fencing, walls or hedges shouldn’t be more than 1 metre high.

3. Use gravel pathways

Using gravel for pathways will be impossible for an intruder to walk on it without making a sound and will help to alert you to their presence.

4. Fit lights with motion sensors

Have motion sensing lights fitted to the outside of your home. This will act as a great burglary deterrent as they are often more confident in the dark.

5. Make sure your shed or garage are secure

Garden sheds and garages are often an easy target for a burglar as they are often over looked in terms of security. The contents of a shed can add up to hundreds of pounds especially if you are using it to store valuables such as lawn mowers, strimmers, tools and bicycles. Therefore it is definitely worth investing in additional security for your shed or garage.

• Where appropriate fit additional security such as a padlock, padbolts, hasp and staple.

• A wireless alarm can also be fitted, although this won’t be connected to your home’s burglar alarm system the siren will alert you and the neighbourhood when a burglar has tried to break-in.

• Where there are windows fit curtains so a burglar cannot see the contents of your garage or shed.