Stolen Camera

[FindMyArlo]

Is there a way to locate a stolen camera

[TomMac]

No... unless it is recovered by the police ( you can claim owership by the serial number/mac )

Otherwise, there is no tracking on the cameras  only the base units are locked to an account.

[Caty-did]

So, even though each camera has a unique serial number, there's no way to deny new activation for a stolen camera? Come on NetGear! Ring REPLACES a stolen camera. The least NG can do is to make stolen cameras inoperable by thiefs!

[GBSea]

Abviously, unique serial # doesn't have anything to do with any device tracking. For this to happen, a device would have to have built-in GPS capability, which Arlo doesn't have (see tech. specs).

This is the bigest problem I have with Arlo's cameras: they can be easily stolen.  It is WAAAAY too easy to still them as they rely on a magnet and/or screw.  In my opinion this disqualifies the product from "security device" category. All it is, is a "supporting" device which cannot be relied on by itself. Home security system is not just this camera (especially the outdoor model).

The only thing I can think of you could do is to get the video captured when it was stolen to see if the thief can be identified. If you have it then file police report. Many of this low-level thiefs are actually known to police and on their file (trust me, I have a first-hand experience here when my house was burglarized a couple years ago).  You have at least a CHANCE of the individual to be caught and you can press charges.  Many of them are repeated offenders caught after some other felony so your charges could add-up to charges already filed against him/her.

There are other cameras on the market that have guaranteed "temper resistance (google it) which may be more expensive but better choice for you.

Good luck!

[Caty-did]

Thanks for your reply to my note, GBSea. I have not had a camera stolen. But was hopeful that Arlo would at least make cameras that are reported stolen (using the serial number) not able to sync to a new/existing base. 

Arlo must be able to read the SN, as when cameras are synced to a base the SN displays. So, Arlo could write an algorithm that bounced that number against a "stolen" database (customer reported to Arlo), and kicked it out. That alone might be a deterent to theft, if the cameras couldn't be reactvated on another system. 

[GBSea]

You're absolutely right, it's a very desireable feature.

However, the only way to "know" that a camera with specific serial # has been bought and is/would/could be in use is if the current owner (potentially a thief, or someone who purchased your stolen product) tries to register it AND if the original owner already registered it.  These two conditions is what no manufacturer/seller can assure as registration is not mandatory, it's optional.

The solution would be for these devices to have capability to send their unique IDs (serial numbers) to Arlo's servers upon connection to the Internet while each one of them can be flagged by original owner/buyer as missing or stolen.

I'm actiallu surprised that security related product vendor/manufacturer wouldn't get and implement this idea right up-friont, before the product is released.  While GPS implementation could be too expensive to implement for assumably too few theft incidents, what I described above shouldn't be "cost-prohibitive" to adopt.

Cheers!