Lobb Investigations operates out of Edmond, Oklahoma. Being close to the major metropolitan city activities of Oklahoma City is one of the main reasons that this area is so up and coming. All the opportunities and excitement that a large city has to offer draws in a lot of people. And unfortunately, the more people that are concentrated in one area, the higher the margin is for crime. At this point, almost everyone has experienced being a victim of porch pirates which is a prime example of how crime is a near constant part of our lives. Naturally, protecting your valuables and your family is a concern for everyone, regardless of their address.

Thanks to advancing technology, smart home devices have become an accessible way to protect your home and family. Here are a few examples of ways that you can take advantage of smart home technology to protect yourself and your belongings.

Give the Illusion of People Being Home

When your home is devoid of people, it is vulnerable to thieves. We all know that a common tactic of seasoned thieves is to get to know your schedule to know when you are home or not. Smart home technology can help because it can help you to create the illusion that someone is home when they are not. Most smart home systems allow you to set up a speaker or link a tv up to the system, and then you can control these devices from your phone. Having a bit of music playing or putting a tv show on can confuse thieves into leaving your home alone.

Avoid Opening the Door to Strangers

Another danger is opening the door for strangers. Sometimes you just don’t want to sit through a sales pitch, but other strangers that come to your door have more sinister intentions. People who want to get into your home can easily force their way in once they are given a small opening. Smart doorbells can protect you from this happening. With smart doorbells, you can see who is at your door from your phone. And some systems even allow you to speak to the person at your door to ask them what they want. All of this keeps you at a safe distance from strangers.

Gain Access to Your Network of Neighbors

Another way that you can utilize technology to protect your home is to join neighborhood social media platforms like Nextdoor. These platforms are an invaluable way to crowdsource information and build a community. Not only can you all give recommendations for plumbers and invite people to garage sales, but you can also look out for each other. If you notice suspicious behavior around the neighborhood, feel free to share it so that your neighbors can remain alert. And if you notice that something was stolen from one of your neighbor’s homes, you can let them know through the app. Some smart doorbell and security systems allow you to upload videos to these apps as well, and sometimes this footage contains the perpetrator in action. And when you look out for your neighbors, they will likely do the same for you.​

As you can see, smart home technology can go a long way in protecting you and what you hold dear. Should you be the victim of a crime and need help solving it, though, Lobb Investigations is ready to help.