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10 Weird Home Security Cam Catches

Richard Sutherland Author image
10 Weirdest Things Caught on Home Security Cameras
Those who stick to a consistent schedule every week are in danger of diligent criminals knowing when they’re not home - an excellent reason to set up a home security camera. But not every home security system will catch thefts or vandalism - some of them record very unusual happenings in your backyard.

Besides keeping an eye out for burglars, home security systems with surveillance cameras often record events you’d never expect. These cameras have become a goldmine of candid footage, recording passers-by, delivery drivers, and burglars when they think they’re entirely unseen. Below, we look at interesting and exciting events caught on home security cameras over the past few years.

1. Delivery Driver’s Worst Nightmare

Delivery drivers have a tough job. Day in, and day out, they’re tasked with delivering packages on a tight schedule. They’re often given barely enough time to get to all the locations on their task list, especially when traffic is heavy or there are unexpected delays on the road.

It’s no wonder that they sometimes make mistakes. A delivery driver in 2014 was caught on camera getting out of his truck without using the parking brake. The security camera doesn’t catch this mistake on film, but it does record the van careening back down the street and off the road, all to the delight of two dogs watching from the neighbor’s yard.

Luckily, no one was hurt, and the truck received minimal damage.

2. Live Stream of Burglars’ Arrest

Home security cameras can be used to monitor the interior and exterior of a home. You can view live security footage while away from home or at work. That’s exactly what a Fairhaven, Massachusetts, resident did when he spotted two thieves rifling through his belongings in his empty home.

The security footage, in this case, is even more remarkable as we see not only the burglars nonchalantly walking around the home deciding what they will steal but their eventual arrest by law enforcement, who quickly turned up on the scene. If there’s any advert for comprehensive home security packages from companies like ADT, it’s this.

3. Unprofessional Repair Staff Get Fired

Security cameras are helpful for more than just deterring and recording robberies.

In 2020, a user posed a question to the Reddit subforum AskReddit—"what is the creepiest thing you’ve caught on video?” One of the top replies was from user Luckboy28, who recorded the repair staff when they came around to fix his AC while at work.

After installing a covert security camera, Luckboy28 caught the repair staff rummaging through his things, typing on his keyboard, and harassing his pets. He sent the recorded footage to the front office of the building, and the majority of the maintenance staff was promptly fired from their jobs.

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4. Rumbled Burglar Immediately Leaves the Vicinity

Security systems can be set up covertly to catch people in the act, or they can be out on display, loud and proud, as a deterrent for thieves

On September 2, 2016, a man was recorded breaking into a home on Maple Ridge Trail in North Fort Worth, Texas. He immediately noticed the security camera in the middle of the room, knew the jig was up, and headed straight out the door.

DIY security systems like those from Cove can be an inexpensive way to keep tabs on your home when you’re not there. They also work as a handy deterrent for would-be thieves. In this case, the homeowner may have prevented thousands of dollars of goods from being stolen since they had a security system.

5. Neighborhood Handyman Does a Good Deed

Not everything caught on a home surveillance camera needs to be unsavory. Redditor RandomDessert stated that his mailbox previously bolted onto his brick house, had been dangling loose for a few weeks, but he hadn’t had time to repair it.

One day, he returned home to find the mailbox bolted back to his home. Remembering he had home security cameras, RandomDessert checked the footage to find a stranger had casually walked up and fixed the mailbox using the tools on his tool belt. As far as we know, this elderly stranger is yet to be identified.

6. Ghost Caught on Security Camera?

Homeowners reporting ghosts or other paranormal activity on their cameras is a surprisingly common occurrence. Perhaps egged on by popular movies like Paranormal Activity, people can become convinced that a random anomaly on their camera footage is evidence of visitors from another spiritual realm.

A ghost captured on one homeowner’s Reolink home security camera is almost certainly a spider web or refraction caused by a water droplet on the lens. But it doesn’t stop people from wondering… what if?

7. Live Audio from Security Camera Saves the Day

Security footage sent to WXIA-TV, a television station in Atlanta, Georgia, shows two burglars casually rummaging through a resident’s bedroom, looking for items to steal. Most affordable home security systems can alert you by email or SMS if there’s unexpected movement, and that’s what happened in this case.

Seeing the live feed of the robbers in his home, the owner alerted the police. But deciding he didn’t want to wait for the authorities to arrive, he spoke to the thieves through the two-way intercom built into the security camera. This was enough to spook the burglars, who promptly vacated the premises.

8. Confusing Hit and Run

Home security cameras pointed at a street often capture vehicular accidents. A bizarre video was posted on Reddit in April 2022 of a car slamming into a parked vehicle. The owner of the parked vehicle had been able to source the video footage from his neighbor. 

Strangely, a second video captured the perpetrators making a getaway. The original driver seems to randomly decide to jump out of the car. Then the passenger jumps into the driver’s seat and bolts away, much to the distress of the original perp, who chases the accomplice down the street as fast as they can!

9. Curious Cat Bewildered by Pet Cam

Cameras can also be used to keep an eye on pets when you’re at work. A Reddit post by gigglebush88, which now has over 20,000 likes, shows the owner’s cat, Beans, investigating the camera. 

Like many home surveillance cameras, this camera can rotate and pivot. The apparently sentient behavior of the camera had Beans quite perplexed, particularly as the camera has a motion sensor that means it will follow Beans wherever it goes. Though Beans looked ready to swat the camera, the cat ultimately decided to scurry away from this strange new contraption in its home.

10. Man Creates Racetrack for Kids

Having installed a security camera overlooking his driveway, a man quickly noticed the smooth, pristine concrete was a mecca for young bicycle riders who must have only recently removed their stabilizers. 

Instead of putting up a fence or angrily accosting these toddler joyriders, he drew on a racetrack of sorts in chalk, complete with chicanes, corkscrew bends, and speedy straights. The joy on the kids’ faces, when they saw the new driveway track is priceless!

The resulting security camera footage shows the neighborhood kids loved it, with many returning time and again to experience the heady thrills of this cute driveway circuit.

Providing Extra Security

The video surveillance camera market is set to nearly double in size by 2025. Closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras have been empirically shown to reduce the occurrences of crime in a monitored area, so installing a home security system may prevent your home from being a target.

24/7 cameras often record unexpected things, from vehicular accidents to kind-hearted handymen. We’ve even seen instances of supposed paranormal activity and gained insight into what our pets are up to when we’re at work. But security cameras’ use as a deterrent to criminals makes them an essential addition to any home or business.

Richard Sutherland Author image
Richard Sutherland writes for Top10.com. With over 20 years experience in web development, SEO, and marketing, Richard has worked with and developed software for huge brands like Samsung and Prudential Insurance. He has written for top tech websites, covering topics that include web hosting, consumer and business technology, and SaaS platforms.