The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free

Last summer we came home from a brief family vacation to quite a surprise, Jeremy’s garage had been broken into. We have always made sure our home is secure before we leave, even if it’s just to go to the shops, so it’s the last thing I expected to come home to. However, we’d never thought to make sure our Verisure alarms extended to our outbuildings, which in hindsight was so foolish! The farm is in a secluded but is highly visible from the main road because of the size, but the wooded areas around it give “creepers” lots of room to hide. The house was nearing completion, and we had been staying with Jeremy’s parents several hundred yards away. It was a Saturday evening, and the contractors had been using the garage as a staging area for their work. As soon as we got home, Jeremy went down to check the locks on everything and take a peek around, when he discovered that he had been robbed. We had furniture, tools, equipment, and other personal belongings temporarily stored in his farm garage. The intruders had prowled through boxes of family photos and taken heirloom tools that belong to Jeremy’s grandfather; the thieves took more than just personal possessions, they took my sense of security.

It took weeks for us to figure out everything they had taken, and dealing with the insurance company was a nightmare. Local law enforcement was kind, but completely useless. Jeremy was just another person on the growing list of people who were robbed in the area. The thieves were so brash that they came back for a generator after the police left that very night, and dragged it across field up to the main road. Weighing several hundred pounds, it couldn’t have been an easy task to lift it over the fence. We visited flea markets and checked pawn shops, but law enforcement said the goods had likely been taken to another county or out of state. In the end, they had taken nearly $10,000 of tools, equipment, and personal belongings.

Do you want to see country ingenuity in action? His temporary solution after it happened was to pile hay bales with the tractor to prevent anyone from getting in without a lot of effort.

A vacation isn’t much of a vacation if you spend most of your time worrying that someone is breaking into your home. It doesn’t help that our house is on a main road, and “unique” to the area. When I’m working outside or sitting on the porch, I’ve noticed people slowing down; I’m unsure if they’re just admiring the columned double porch or contemplating robbing us. It’s an extra sad feeling when someone you’ve never met steals (no pun intended) so much joy and freedom from your life.

Home security systems can be expensive to install and maintain, but they offer “peace of mind”. First we looked into electric gates and Semprius solar gate openers so that we’d never have to worry about them losing power. Next, we had been researching several options before we discovered Arlo Video Monitoring and HD Security Cameras manufactured by Netgear. The Arlo by Netgear 4 pack of cameras are exclusively available at Best Buy. The cameras are very simple to install and we can monitor our home from most mobile devices or computers. They are all linked to our home internet network , and you can get instructions for Netgear here to find out how to access the footage.

Here are a few advantages of Arlo:

• Arlo enables you to capture 720p video footage both during the day and at night , with a 130° field of view.
• Completely wire free, for use inside and outside – weatherproof for temperatures ranging from 14° to 122°
• Downloadable apps enable you to view live video from your compatible Android, Apple® iOS, Amazon Kindle, Windows or Mac device
• Motion-activated design automatically records motion once detected, sending e-mail or app notifications which can be turned off while you’re at home
• Comes with 6 magnetic camera mounts and 9 mounting screws, for easy installation on a wall or flat surface
• Works with other Netgear products
• The system is very affordable. The four pack of Arlo HD Security Cameras are currently $499.99 at Best Buy

Here’s my a screenshot of what monitoring looks like on my phone. It also sends motion alerts when the system is armed.

We paired Arlo with the new Netgear® Nighthawk™ DST Router and DST Adapter with included Geek Squad service. Our model came with one DST, or “Dead Spot Terminator,” adapter that helps to eliminate your Wi-Fi dead zones. You can also purchase additional adapters. The new router helps to ensure that we get service throughout our house and our Arlo system stays accessible. Best Buy makes it easier to set up and maintain this new high performance Wi-Fi router, which includes a Wi-Fi extender and Geek Squad Set Up and Support via phone & web, for one full year. This high-performance router was built to support 10+ connected devices. You have the ability to prioritize devices for streaming videos or music, and included advanced features for lag-free gaming and video streaming.

Arlo by Netgear makes it a little easier for me to travel. I feel like our home and possessions are more secure. I also have the ability to live view my son and pets if I’m away and someone else is caring for them. I can also take a peek around if I’m concerned that I hear something “go bump in the night.” Arlo is more than just an investment in your home, it’s an investment in your personal security (mental and physical).

Has someone ever broken into your home? What did you do to make your home and yourself feel more secure?