Opinion: Equip Your Home With Cameras l Baruch Rivlin

Week after week TLS has been reporting about burglaries and robberies occurring in Lakewood, especially on Friday nights when residents are relaxing after a long week.

The burglaries have been occurring in various neighborhoods without any clear rhythm or pattern. Thousands of dollars in cash and/or valuables have been stolen in nearly every incident. Unfortunately, police often have very little evidence to use in their search for the perpetrators. That is something we should change.

Home security has become more popular and cheaper over the years. Whereas thirty years ago it was basically unheard of for a private home to be equipped with sensors and cameras, technology has advanced to the point where securing one’s home with closed-circuit cameras and motion sensors is affordable for almost everyone.

Anyone who lives in their own home, and especially if one lives in an area that has been hit by burglars several times already, should have cameras installed. Not only will it help authorities locate suspects after a robbery occurs, it may deter those burglars from robbing your home in the first place. Odds are that they if they see a camera on the home they will stay away from it.

Some have concerns regarding allowing cameras to record over Shabbos. I do know that Rav Moshe Heinemann paskened that there is issue no with this, and is permissible. However, please ask your rav.

If an entire neighborhood outfits its homes with security systems, it is highly unlikely they will be hit with multiple robberies, as we have been seeing on a near-weekly basis over the past year or so. I would recommend also that signs be placed on the streets warning individuals who are up to no good that they are being recorded at all times.

Burglars know when the majority of Jewish residents are least on alert – Friday night. It is about time we equipped ourselves with the means to fight back against the scourge of robberies.

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12 COMMENTS

  1. Wasn’t it reported that the vast majority of the robberies were NOT forced entry? So wouldn’t locking our doors be the best way to prevent this??? Am I missing something here…?!

  2. it seems that the robbers think jews can’t call the police on shabbos, thats why its happening friday night
    L’maaseh if the JDL would make an example out of one robber this would end very fast

  3. Our Rav,a leading local posek, ruled that it is a lichatchila to use cameras on Shabbos, preferably those that store the info electronically. In addition, he said that only pictures caused by the burglars were wanted, and that it was a tzorech rabim, benefiting many and sparing them danger.

  4. In our circles were ppl have bli ein Hora large family’s it’s not always easy to know if a child opened a window and didn’t lock it. So it’s not fair to blaim the parents. But know that ppl see what’s going its recommend for everyone to make a full check every night especially Friday night on all windows and doors.
    Also from my understanding they ware masks and have been going to homes that have cameras as well.

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