"But what happens if someone steals my recorder?"
Anyone who has done more than a handful of jobs has probably heard this question several times. Though customers often fear a stolen recorder, statistics show it is not a significant problem.
150 integrators shared insight on how they prevent theft of recorders, the vertical they seen as most at risk for this issue, and some first-hand examples of when it has happened to their customers.
Low Concern For Recorder Theft
Recorder theft is not a big concern among integrators, only a very small percentage (7%) saw recorder theft as a high concern:

Integrators said recorder thefts are very uncommon, and that straight forward steps mitigate concerns generally.
Recorders *** **** ** ******
***** **** ********* ****** that ****** * ******** would ** * *********** loss, ** *** **** generally ****** **** ********* are **** ** **** or ****** ** **** installations. **** ******* ******* the ******* ** ***** or ********* ** *** recorder.
- "*** ********* ****** ** always ****** **** ** a ****** ** ******* that ****** ** ******** easily. ** ***** ********* be * *********** ******* and **** ** *** we **** **** ****."
- "*** **** *********, *** NVR/DVR *** ****** ** a ****** ****** ** closest."
- "******* *** ****** ********* in ****** ***** **** limited ****** *** **** of **** *** ********* in ******* **** ******* cabinets."
- "*** ****. ** **** had ****** ** *** past, *** *** ******* are ******** ** ** hidden ****** ** ******* in * *** **** makes ** **** ********* to ***** *** ********* device."
- "* ** ********* **** my ******* **** *** NVR ********* ** * secured **** ** **** box"
- "* ******* ********* ********** equipment ** * ****** network ** ******* **** and ** **** **** applications ***** * ******* cabinet."
- "** ** *** *******, because **** *** ******* in ****** ***** ** in ****** ****** *****"
- "** **** ***** *** a ********* ***/*** ****** that ** *** ***** of. ** ********* **** for ****** *** ***** enterprise ********* *** ****** this ********* ***** **** servers *** ******** ** dedicated *** ****** **** closets *** ****** *****."
- "** *** ** **** of ** ***** **** our **** *********, *** and ********** ******* **** are ****** ******* ********, server ***** *** ******* or ********, ***."
- "**** ** **** **** the *** ******* ** a ****** ****** ****."
- "*** ** *****. ********* is ****** ** **** with **** ******. ** also ****** **** * camera ** *** *** itself ** ****** ******* is ******** ****."
- "** ** * ***** concern *** * ***** reason *** ***** ************ is ********* ** * secure * ****"
PC-Based ******** ******* **********
***-***** ******* *** ********* just ******** ******* ** COTS ********. **** *** recorder ***** **** *** other ****** ** * stack ** *********, ** is **** **** *******.
- "******* *** *** ******* as *** **** ***** dell *******"
- "*** ****** ********, **'* not ****** * ******* as ** ** **** another **** ******* ****** sitting **** **** ***** servers ** **** *****. There ** ** *** for ******* ** **** which ** *** ********."
- "**'* * ****** ** a **** **** ***** servers *** **** ** our *********, ** ** would ** **** ** identify. **'* *** * DVR **** ****** ***** to ** ******* **** it **** ** **."
- "** ****** **** ***** it *******. **'* * server ** * **** with ***** ******* *** most ** *** *********, so ** ***** ** hard ** ********. **'* not * *** **** cables ***** ** ** anymore **** ** **** to **."
Small ****** ****** ******* ****
*** **** ************ ********* vertical ***** ******** ***** was * *********** **** was ***** ****** *******. These ********* ***** **** "IT *****", ** **** secure ******** ****** ***** a ******** *** ** installed. ** ********, **** can ** ******* *** opportunistic *******, *** *** see ******** ** ********** a ******** ** ******* in ******* **************.
- "* **** *** ********* in *** **** ***** we *** ** ******* a *** **** *** and **** ** *** wall *** **** ** mainly ****** *** ***********."
- "*** *********** ****** *** retail ******** ***/* *** problematic ******* **** ***** out ******* ** * security ******."
- "***** ** **** ** that ********* * *** is ***** ****** ****** like *********** ******, *** we're *** ****** ** that ****** ** ***** low *** *******."
- "**** *** ****** ***** under ******* ****, ********* the ********* ** ******* tucked **** ****** ********* most ********* ***'* **** nor **** ****** **."
- "**** ******* ***** *** Pawn **** ********* *** facing **** ****** ***** nowadays"
- "*** ***** **********, ** can ** * ******* if *** *********** *** is ******* *** ** the **** ** ** office **** (*** ********, Convenience ******)."
- "** ** *** ******* installations ** ********** ** small ********** ***** ** is * ****** ****** / ******* ** **** a *****."
- "* *** *** **** being ** ***** ** a ***** ****** *****"
- "***** ******* ********* *** at ****, *** **** is *********, ********* **** lock ***** ** ** restricted ****** *****, ** the **** ** ********** worth *** ********."
Examples ** ******** *****
****** ******* ******** ****** were ****, **** *********** did ******* ******** ** cases ***** **** *** seen ** ******:
- "**** **** *********, **** has **** * *******. We **** *** ******** that *** *** ***** DVRs ****** ********* * theft, ** * ******** (not *** ** *******)."
- "** *** ******** * few *****. ** ** encourage ********* *********, ****** by ***** ** ******* with ***** ** ***** covering *** ***, ** by ********* ** * DVR **** ** ***** copy ** ***** ******* on ******* ********* ***."
- "****. ** **** **** customers *** *** **** boxes *** ***** ******* to **** ******* **** stealing *** ********. **** is ********** ** ***** at ****** *** ** high ******** ******** *****."
- "* ******* *******. ******** theft ** *** ** the **** ****** ** see. ** ***** ********* to ******* ******* ****. Both ******** **** *** and ****** ******* ** monitor *** ****."
- "**** **** *** **. The ******* ******** ** had ** ***** ** years *** * **** ago ** * **** owner ********* **** ***'* on * ********* ***** at *********. ******* ***** in *** ******* ***** one ***** **** ****** the ******* *** ******** and ***** *** ***'*- we ***** ******* ** a ********** ****** *** bid. *** **** ** the **** ******** ** recent ******."
- "*** ***********. **** *** one ***** (******** ********). It *** ** ****** job. *** ** ******* that? **** ** ** was ***** ***** **** could **** ********* **."
- "*** *** ****** **** has **** * **** issue. ** **** **** to ****** *** ***** which *** *** *******"
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Comments (17)
Greg Cortina
I get asked as a manufacturer once in awhile and usually followed by "Can we send the cameras to the cloud" which is usually not feasible based on bandwidth and monthly cost.
Some recorders allow you to use them as a backup device, recording all or any selected cameras as needed. Very little storage needed to handle just a couple of days.
Just hang that recorder in a locked room and connect to the network. Add a couple of minutes of configuration using the client software and it's done.
Greg
FLIR
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Luis Carmona
Great and informative article! You always hear about it but it does seem limited to certain niches. However, I would think those small retail stores might eventually start going to cloud based or maybe hybrid solutions as Internet service starts getting cheaper. If it's managed correctly, with only specific cameras sending motion images up to the cloud at a rate of maybe 1FPS to 3FPS maybe at most, it could be manageable and done inexpensively as possible. You don't need to retain a lot of video in the cloud as anything serious that happens is known immediately, and most times a picture or few is all that is needed.
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Christopher Freeman
I see way too often in the industry: lazy, comfort, just enough, Good enough Mentality
and I wounder why ?
when you have so much to loose and depend on the results of the recording.
why would you cheapen out and install systems like a loose wire install or a nvr hanging on a shelf in the main entry where all can see.
install where there is no security and everyone has access
just another Feel Good security System for jokes and riddles.
you have to wonder if they really want security or just feel good that they have something in place.
Never had a unit stolen , but seen many that were so easy to remove it would just be a matter of time.
Just a Thought
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Undisclosed #2
Prominently placed and easily accessible dummy DVR's with break-away cabling can reduce tension with criminals during an incident, and let them depart quicker, happier and guiltier...
For instance this septa-brid Qvis model which fully supports both real and dummy cameras and all transmission technologies*
*when using approved dummy adapters
Related: What The? A Dummy DVR?
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Undisclosed End User #3
1st Hikvision job I ever did, we set up PC-NVR on a laptop with mapped drives that pointed to a Synology that was in a hidden vault. This was in addition to the primary NVR's.
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Blake Murphy
It used to be a huge issue, as tech has changed it seems nobody asks for "the VHS security tape" anymore
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Wagner Cunha
It's great to see this site talking about DVRs.
Topic suggestion: DVRs vs IP Cameras usage statistics;
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