Preventing Arlo Camera Theft

How to prevent Arlo camera theftArlo makes a great camera.  What’s not to like?  Maybe the fact that the cameras can be easily removed and stolen?  Today, we discuss how to prevent Arlo camera theft.

We have previously written several articles praising the Arlo lineup including our review of the Arlo Pro.  The cameras are 100% wireless.  No power cables and connected via WiFi.

The Arlo Mounting System

The mounting system is one of the easiest to use.  Just paste or screw the mounting dome to a flat surface.  A photo of the mounting dome accompanies our article.  The Arlo camera attaches using the magnet on the back.  Unfortunately, the Arlo camera also detaches mighty easily by simply pulling off the camera from the dome attachment.

Many Arlo owners may not be aware of the 1/4″ – 20 threaded tripod screw hole on the bottom of the camera allowed deployment of an industry standard camera mount.  It’s definitely more secure than the dome mount in that it takes more effort to remove the camera and it makes any potential Arlo camera theft a little more difficult.  However, it’s not too much more.  I mean how long would it take a bad guy to unscrew it?

On a positive note, the video is streamed to the cloud thanks to the Arlo free cloud service.  So you will likely have a nice clear video of the bad guy that stole your Arlo camera.  But, unfortunately, you’re still going to be  a victim and will need to replace your Arlo cameras.

Don’t Let Them Reach It

Let’s look at a few strategies to prevent any Arlo camera theft.

First, place it as high as possible.  It’s relatively unlikely a thief is going to use a ladder with the pure intention of stealing your camera.  How high is high enough?  Anything above 10 feet.  Better yet, if outdoors, place it next to an upper floor window.  The thing to remember is that you will need to charge the batteries every few months so don’t put it in a location that you won’t be able to access yourself.

Secondly, you can hide your Arlo camera.  We wrote a detailed article on how to hide an Arlo camera.  There’s plenty of ways to do it.  When a thief comes into a home, they are looking for stuff to rob, not necessarily for cameras inside tissue boxes and within plants.

Locking Arlo Mounts

The home security market is an interesting thing.  When a camera first comes out, the only way to mount it is by using the included mount.  It’s unusual for third-party mounts to hit the market until the line is well established.  Arlo cameras are no different.

Today there are several mounts on the market that lock the camera to the mounting system.  They aren’t foolproof meaning a determined thief is still going to get your camera however, the bad guy is going to need some tools and time to do it.

Consider the Wasserstein Anti-Theft Security Chain Compatible with Arlo Pro and Arlo Pro 2. This anti-theft kit is a clever addition for your camera. A chain connected to two bands helps to prevent any Arlo camera theft. One band attaches around the Arlo camera. The other attaches to the mount. While the mount isn’t included, you may already have one but if not, the Wasserstein Security Wall Mount will work with this security accessory.

Again, it’s not burglar proof, as someone with a chain cutter or screw driver could take the time to undo all this, but it makes it difficult and more time-consuming to steal the camera.  You could consider replacing the Phillips head screws with torx or some pattern that aren’t as common.  That makes it even more difficult to remove the security chain or mounting pedestal.