tcollins

Member
Sep 1, 2014
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Hi All

Big thanks to everyone that has replied to our posts, it has really helped us settle in well over the last few months.

Wanted to ask if anyone has recommendations for where to purchase a decent CCTV camera system and have it installed? We are in the upper Umulas area (near Bali Buddha).

We have a night security guard, but I would feel a little happier with some extra 'eyes' around the place during the day and night, especially with new construction started in the gang and with young kids.

Fully aware that a CCTV is unless without anyone watching it, but but looking at this is another safety measure we can take overall.

Looking for something that can have indoor and outdoor cameras, and preferably something with IP/ Internet capabilities so it can be viewed remotely.

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
 

Markit

Well-Known Member
Sep 3, 2007
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Karangasem, Bali
Personally I think you have fully exaggerated the danger you think you are in.

Bali is one of the safest places in the world, bar none. Make yourself known to your neighbors, get used to them and saying hi and smiling when you meet them - you don't need to speak the lingo but if you make yourself part of the community then the community will look after you - if you do as so many Bule do and keep yourself to yourself and only have locals as staff then they won't give much of a toss what happens to you.

Please also consider that people seeing your camera system with think you may have something worth protecting.

My place is open all the time and I really don't have anything that I care enough about to have cameras to protect and your family are as safe as houses, safer!

Promise.
 

tcollins

Member
Sep 1, 2014
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Thanks very much for that- really appreciate it.

We have made an effort to meet the few neighbours we have- small gang. We also have made a point of saying hi to the construction workers next door each day, and also bring out chilled bottled of water for them as I don't think their boss provides much for them- they seem to be very appreciative.

I am in 2 minds about the cameras for the exact reason that you mentioned below, which is part of why I wanted to get some feedback.

We don't have anything really valuable, it is more of a personal safety thing.

We are thinking that investing time and effort more into our community will probably have the same if not better results.

Thanks :)
 

Markit

Well-Known Member
Sep 3, 2007
9,317
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Karangasem, Bali
I live in a jungle but it's in the middle of a Balinese village and guarantee you that anyone entering the jungle has already been seen and noticed by lots of people.

Once we had a large fishing ship wash up and burn on the beach 150 meters away from the house and the only people that could be found to salvage what was left were a group of Javanese - these poor guys all lived and cooked and washed on the beach for weeks and it was made absolutely clear to them by the villagers that that's all they were allowed to do. Not fair or friendly but safer, at least according to the locals.

My point in the story is that you have moved into a community that has it's own ways of doing things and I suggest you find out what those are and try and support them.

P.S. I wouldn't be so friendly with the construction workers unless they are locals.
 

davita

Well-Known Member
Mar 13, 2012
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I live near Bali Budha in Kerobokan and had cameras installed when we bought the house new. There are lots of Javanese workers around that area as construction is still on-going. I was advised by my police relative to have them installed and we put it about that they were connected to the Canggu police station....they aren't.

I dont know if they've had any effect but have seen the local tukans point to them as they pass my house...maybe thinking of a way to dismantle...:icon_wink: but agree that they are not a panacea. They do keep a visual account of what happens when you're not there and keeps that record for a couple of weeks depending on the storage hard-drive installed...a friend was back in Hong Kong and saw his maid and her friends have a swinger's party in his pool....on his phone.

As others have said, better to maintain a good relationship with the neighbours and help those construction workers. Our driver is Javanese Muslim and his wife is a good cook..... so we paid her to make special food for them after Friday solas. I even told them to hide once as I knew the Banjar were on the lookout for illegal workers. I've been told to take extra care just before they go home for Lebaron,

Ace sell some cctv's in a box as do a few stores on Tunku Umar and, of course, the big electronic store in Denpasar which I've forgotten the name Re???. Ooops! alzheimers has kicked in again. They can make a custom kit and probably have installers,
Some stores even sells fake cameras which may be an answer for those on a budget....and probably just as effective. In hindsight that's what I wish I'd done.

I've been 6 days in Jakarta and today in KL and cannot wait to return to Bali tomorrow....
 

ronb

Well-Known Member
Aug 14, 2007
2,241
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Ubud, Bali
I have a cheap one as a toy that I play with and have thought about getting a working system. One of the issues you would need when planning is - do you want it to keep working when the power is off. It seems that an intruder that had done some planning may just turn off the mains power, then move about with torches. So unless you have planned for this, your usual night lights will be off, the network and disk system that the camera stores onto will be off, and the camera itself will be off. If you want to overcome this, the cost will be considerably higher.
 

spicyayam

Well-Known Member
Jan 12, 2009
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My wife also bought a cheap one just to try. It's wireless and took a while to work out how to set it up as there was almost no instructions.

My friend bought quite an expensive wireless system and some of the cameras seem to be off a lot of the time.

I don't know how useful it would be as Ron said, it would be easy just to turn off the power. Most of the systems I have seen here seem pretty basic.

If we ended up getting one, I was thinking of getting the one with cables to the cameras. Maybe this would be more reliable. The only reason I think it would be good is to look back if there was some kind of trouble on your property.

We also have made a point of saying hi to the construction workers next door each day, and also bring out chilled bottled of water for them as I don't think their boss provides much for them- they seem to be very appreciative.

This is a nice gesture, but won't necessarily stop you from getting robbed. Many times I have heard of people getting robbed they had construction going on near them.
 

spicyayam

Well-Known Member
Jan 12, 2009
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Forgot to mention you can also buy fake ones that have a flashing light on them and look quite real. :icon_eek: