Local Police Departments Say Homeowners Should Invest in Doorbell Cameras

What if you could see every single person who comes to your front door — even when you're not home?

A relatively new market of doorbell cameras makes it possible, and police departments like Broken Arrow say homeowners should consider it.

When News On 6 arrived at Debra Wimpee's Broken Arrow home, she could see our crew without ever opening the door.

Wimpee installed a surveillance system called Ring that connects to her doorbell. Every time someone approaches or leaves the house, she gets a notification on her phone.

"I love that no matter where I'm at, no one knows if I'm home or not," she said. "As soon as someone gets on my front porch, I get a notification; I can open it up right there."

Here's how it works: the doorbell camera captures visitors in real time, and can even record videos of the visitor straight to your phone.

You can also talk to the person at your door from your phone through a speaker, even if you're not at home.

This is the best part about the technology, says Lisa Ford, a crime prevention specialist with Broken Arrow Police, because it could scare off potential burglars.

"Typically, people don't want you," Ford explains. "They don't want to run into you when they're stealing stuff out of your house. They just want your stuff."

Wimpee said someone broke into their home years ago, and they weren't sure which security system or surveillance camera to get. She struggled to find peace of mind, until now.

"It still kind of stays with you," she said of the burglar. "Getting this and having it installed and knowing that at any moment my phone can go off and I can see who's around the house has been huge."

Doorbell cameras range from $30 to $300. Ring, the technology Wimpee uses, costs about $200.

You can get a $25 discount by entering the code 6wimpee at checkout at Ring.com.