It’s an unfortunate reality in 2023 that Ring doorbells are being stolen frequently. So how can you protect yours from being taken by thieves?
Ring doorbells offer us great convenience from being able to see who is at the door, even if you aren’t able to get to the door yourself. Smart doorbells are becoming a modern necessity, especially with the increase of home deliveries and people becoming more security-conscious.
Unfortunately, smart doorbells are not cheap, and most of them are easily accessible so thieves are stealing them in seconds these days, looking to make a quick profit. Here’s exactly how you can prevent your Ring doorbell from being stolen by thieves.
Quick Summary
- Invest in a protective case for your Ring Doorbell
- Attach the Ring straight to the wall (avoid using clips)
- Put up a CCTV warning sign to deter thieves from stealing your smart doorbell
- Install additional security cameras around your property
- Make sure your notifications are on at all times
- Make sure the Ring Doorbell is protected by your insurance policy
Invest In A Protective Case For Your Ring Doorbell
The best way to stop your Ring Doorbell from being stolen is to physically secure it. Typically, smart doorbells are not very tightly secured in place and can easily be removed from the mounting plates that come with it. A much more secure alternative is to invest in an anti-theft mount like this for your Ring Doorbell, which is basically a cage within which the doorbell is secured. Without a lot of time and numerous tools, this will make the doorbell very difficult to steal, leading a majority of thieves to move on and look for an easier target.
Attach the Ring Doorbell Straight To The Wall
If you don’t want to spend money on an anti-theft mount, one alternative is to mount the Ring Doorbell directly to your wall. there are a number of ways to do this, and although they aren’t 100% secure, they are better than simply using an adhesive or plastic clipped mount to secure it in place. You will probably need to drill holes into the wall to properly do this, however.
Put Up A CCTV Warning Sign To Deter Thieves From Stealing Your Smart Doorbell
Alongside security cameras, an often overlooked deterrent which is cheap and very easy to fit are CCTV warning signs. They are attention grabbing and serve as a great warning to potential thieves, which typically will move on. CCTV recording signs also imply that there is a strong possibility of there being multiple security cameras, so stealing the doorbell or anything else for that matter would be a very bad idea. Speaking of multiple security cameras, that brings me onto the next option.
Install Additional Security Cameras Around Your Property
The Ring Doorbell is great, but sometimes having security cameras in such obvious places can leave them vulnerable. Place another outdoor security camera, such as one of these, outside of your property in a discreet location, ideally overlooking the front door from an alternate angle. Luckily, outdoor security cameras are very inexpensive and there are a lot of great wireless options on the market, should you find wiring the camera up in a more discreet location difficult.
Make Sure Your Ring Doorbell Notifications Are On At All Times
This may sound a little obvious, but a lot of Ring Doorbell owners do not have their doorbells configured correctly. Make sure that your notifications are set up so that any motion detected on the doorbell will ping your camera immediately, which will help you quickly notice if someone is trying to steal your camera.
Ensure The Ring Doorbell Is Covered By Your Insurance Policy
This is more of a worst-case scenario thought, but in the unfortunate case that someone does actually manage to steal your Ring Doorbell, being able to claim it on the insurance and get a replacement effectively for free is definitely a great plan B. Ring do claim that they offer free replacements for any stolen doorbells, however it’s worth checking their terms and also whether you are eligible in your country.
FAQs
Can Ring Doorbells Be Easily Stolen?
Unfortunately, most people don’t think about whether or not someone would be willing to steal their Ring doorbell, which means that they leave it improperly secured, either with adhesive or a plastic mount, neither of which are particularly secure. If a ring doorbell is fitted in this way and is not properly fixed in place then they can be taken quite easily.
What Happens If Someone Steals My Ring Doorbell?
Luckily, according to Ring, they will replace your doorbell for free if it does end up being stolen. There are some limitations and requirements to be eligible for a replacement though, so it is definitely checking their terms and conditions first.
Can Thieves Block Ring Doorbells?
Although unlikely, thieves can actually get into smart doorbells if they manage to access the network that they are connected to, because (at the moment) the data transmitted by most of them is actually not encrypted. Making sure your network is properly secured is a good way to try to prevent the possibility of this happening.
Can A Stolen Ring Doorbell Be Traced?
At the moment, there is no realistic way to track a stolen Ring Doorbell. As soon as the camera loses it’s connection with the Wi-Fi it was configured on, it will no longer be accessible. This is why it’s important to secure yours against theft.
Conclusion
Securing your Ring Doorbell against thieves is reasonably easy, especially if you opt for an anti-theft mount. There are a load of options available on the market but possibly the most secure yet least permanent would have to be the door-mounted options, such as the KIMILAR Upgraded Anti-Theft Mount.
These work by wrapping around your door, with the doorbell being secured inside of a cage. This means that the only easy way to remove it is when the door is open. On the other hand, if you’re willing to spend a little more money, placing additional security cameras around the property as well as CCTV signs is a great way from deterring potential thieves, and increasing your chances of the culprit being found if they do make the mistake of stealing your smart doorbell.