CCTV doorbell could deter, catch crooks
New CCTV-equipped doorbell takes pictures of people ringing your doorbell, and stores picture for future use
Perhaps Jehovah’s Witnesses will not be worried about this, but people who ring your door-bell for nefarious purposes should be: households in Grantham will soon be equipped with Electronic Door Viewer, which is a fancy name for a CCTV doorbell. This may well be the most exciting development in doorbells since the novelty theme tune. Neil Graham writes that the electronic door viewer uses cutting edge technology to take a digital photograph of everyone who comes to your door.
From the outside, the electronic door viewer appears just as any other doorbell does, but when pressed it takes a digital photo of the visitor which can be seen on a hand-held monitor inside the house. Up to 400 pictures can be stored on the device at any one time.
Ian Emes, co-owner of Withambrook Windows in Grantham, a store that already stocks the new device, said: “It’s really exciting technology and I think it is going to prove extremely popular. If you have been out on holiday or to the shops, the viewer will let you see who you have missed while you were away.”
Emes says the CCTV doorbell can also deter criminals and even be used to catch crooks. He said: “It helps people because it means they don’t have to open the door to see who is there. There are also a lot of crooks who try to stake a house out and will ring a bell to see if anyone is in. The police in Grantham have shown some interest in the product.”
