When a Security System Makes You Feel Less Secure

Should I read the crime report or avoid it like the plague?

Author’s note: I did not receive any incentives to write about Ring.

My husband and I were given a Ring system over the Christmas holidays. If you are not familiar with this product, it is a home security system. It isn’t monitored in the traditional way. A security company doesn’t watch the camera feeds and alarms. The video and other information go directly to your cellphone.

The company sells the following items to customize your system:

· Video Doorbells. It is motion sensitive and will ring inside your house (with a separate ring if they push the button). They also have a Door View Video model. It mounts in place of your peephole. They all have two way talking — you and the person at your door.

· Smart Lighting. Motion sensitive path lighting, step lights, spotlights, etc…

· Outdoor Security Cameras. These are the more traditional cameras. They have lighting and are installed above the doorway. They also offer two way talking.

· Indoor Security Cameras. Some of these are cute popup cameras.

· Enhanced Security Systems. These include alarmed, motion sensitive indoor and outdoor cameras. They can also have fire, water, and carbon monoxide sensors. An alarm keypad is usually included.

We have a basic camera for our front door. It has a ringer in the house and sends info to an application on our phones. We have talked about getting one for our backyard, but it doesn’t seem necessary. We are packed in with neighbors to the right, left and back of us. No one is hopping a fence to get directly to us.

I’ll be honest, looking up all the things we could add on to our basic system was informative. I like the idea of path lighting. We don’t need it though. There is a street light across from our house that lights up the area well enough.

The Ring system fulfills a need. It is a reasonably priced system for people concerned their computer hardware or flat screen might be stolen. Anyone with antiques and coin collections would be better served by paying the full price of monitored security.

The application is interesting. It doesn’t stop at allowing customers the two way talk feature and viewing of video from the door. The application has an area for customers to upload video from their cameras. They can provide commentary and it has an area for their neighbors to comment.

Our city also provides a crime report for our area every two weeks. It is in the feed with the neighbor’s videos. Some of the videos show stray pets, asking if anyone is looking for them. Sometimes there is an update that an owner was reunited with their dog or cat.

Remember when I said we received this gift during the holidays? That may be important for context. We moved to this home the summer before receiving and installing the Ring system.

Our old neighborhood was very, very safe. Occasionally a domestic dispute. Once, 19 years ago, a stranger was caught walking into our garage and was scared off by my sitter. She talked to my neighbors more than I did when I was a working parent. She reported that the guy across the street had a bike stolen. We all figured it was the same guy.

Other than that, the crimes reported in that subdivision fall under the “kids stole coins out of unlocked car” variety. Lock your doors, people.

When we decided to downsize, we looked in that neighborhood. One story houses in the middle of the neighborhood don’t come up too much. We were picky about the location. We ended up purchasing a one-story home a mile away. It is a lovely home with a kitchen I only dreamed of.

The neighborhood is nice although not at the same level as our previous one. The houses are nice and look upscale although they are not mini-mansions. The other side of the neighborhood is older. There are apartment complexes around the edges.

A couple of weeks after the Christmas holiday, we read our first crime report on the app. I was surprised, to say the least. Multiple shootings in our area. In our one-mile square area.

I quickly enlarged the map view. None of the shootings were in our subdivision. They were around the edges of it, and we are smack dab in the middle. That isn’t as reassuring as I wish.

My husband didn’t think I was overreacting. That was a relief. He is my touchstone to what is “normal.” We agreed to keep calm and monitor the situation.

As time has passed, we haven’t had another week like that. I have no idea what was going on. There have been a couple of shootings though.

Since I am monitoring our area, I always check on our old neighborhood. You know, the one that is only one mile away. Literally, my old house is one mile away from my new house.

A week ago, there was a report on the Ring app that a car was stolen in our old neighborhood. My husband mentioned it in a happy voice. We laughed at each other.

We are trying to feel better about leaving the neighborhood. In the last six months, this was the first crime other than stolen coins or a couple of domestic assaults.

For the record, I am sorry unknown house owner in my old neighborhood. I am not happy your vehicle was stolen. That sucks, and I hope karma gets the jerk that took it.

The rest of the messages on the app are from homeowners. A message this morning said someone set off a box of fireworks on the back of their truck. It damaged the vehicle and qualifies as a serious crime.

The truck was parked in their driveway. They are lucky it didn’t harm the house. This was about four miles from our home so it didn’t worry me.

Aside from actual, legitimate crimes caught on their cameras, Ring owners also post about “almost” crimes. And “actually not” crimes. People share a video of strangers ringing their doorbell. They ask who this is and tell people to look out for them.

WHAT? Have we reached the point where a stranger isn’t allowed to ring a doorbell? Let me be clear. There was no allegation that this person stole or damaged any of the homeowner’s property. Why are they posting this?

There was one this morning. To be fair, the comments this posting received reflected my own reaction. I don’t know the person who posted this video. If I did, I would ask what they were thinking.

This all has made me question whether having the Ring is a good thing. Should I be reading the crime reports? They have made me question my happiness with this house.

I still love my massive kitchen island and my deep jetted bathtub. But as I’m sitting in the tub, I sometimes think about those assaults and shootings on the edge of my neighborhood. Let’s say about a quarter of a mile from my house.

I wonder how far bullets travel. I decide not to look it up. I tell myself I’m not in denial. I just want to love my house.

I still check the crime report every two weeks.

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