How to Tell If Someone Has Broken Into Your Bedroom
Perhaps you have unreliable roommates and want to prove that they sneak into your room when you are not at home. Or you’re staying at a run-down motel and don’t trust locks. Or maybe your child wants to have fun protecting their room from siblings. Whatever your reasons, you need an extra layer of do-it-yourself video surveillance.
For more serious security, you should probably install a real security camera . (Also, it’s good to know the facts about burglary prevention .) In the meantime, let’s dive into some sneaky tricks you can use to tell if someone is sneaking into your room when you’re not there.
We will first look at some low-tech solutions for connecting to your inner spy, and then touch on more high-tech solutions, such as motion-activated cameras, that may be needed in your situation.
Use a lock of hair in the style of James Bond.
This stunt is taken from Dr. No (1962) , which is also the film in which 007 first utters the iconic “Bond…James Bond” line . Here’s how this hack works:
In front of the door, attach a thin, barely visible hair or piece of thread so that it crosses the gap between the door and the wall. Bond uses saliva to glue his hair, but a small piece of transparent tape is more reliable (though much less suave). The thread will break or fall if someone opened the door in your absence.
Another approach is to glue a piece of thread on both sides of the door. When the door is opened, the thread is pulled out from under one side of the tape.
Insert a small piece of paper into the door
While inside your room, fold a small piece of paper and stick it in the door frame. Check outside to see a small piece sticking out from the other side of the door – take a picture of exactly what it looks like. When someone opens the door, a piece of paper will fall out of the hinge onto the floor. If you return home and see that the paper is no longer peeking out, there is a chance that someone opened your door while you were gone. If the perpetrator tried to cram the paper back before leaving, compare the location with your before photo.
Alternatively, you can stick a small strip of transparent tape so that one end touches the bottom of the door and the other end touches the floor. If it has changed or disappeared when you return, the door may have been opened.
Set a trap
This one is dirty, but the most obvious. Place a glass of water on the ground so that if the door opens, the water will spill. Ideally, you should have a carpet or mat that will take longer to dry so that an intruder cannot simply clean up the mess and reset the trap before you return. Just make sure you don’t throw open your door and fall prey to your own trap!
Note: Is anyone in a weird mood watching Home Alone right now?
Leave a treat
If you have a mat or rug, place a cookie, cracker, or other crunchy snack under it. If someone unwittingly steps on it, of course, you will have to clean up the mess, but more importantly, you will have evidence that something is going on.
Break out of the child force
Sprinkle a thin strip of baby powder right outside the door (or in whatever direction it opens). If the queue is interrupted due to the open door or someone’s steps, you will know about it. The trick with this is to set the line far enough back so that you don’t accidentally break it yourself, and to eliminate the chance of breeze or pets disturbing the powder.
Consider investing in high-tech solutions
All of the above tricks are tricky, but leave a lot of room for error. If you’re seriously worried about someone breaking into your space, it might be worth investing in gadgets. They don’t have to break the bank; many motion sensors will set you back around $20.
High-tech solutions include installing a noise recording app on your smartphone or buying a security camera. The advantage of the camera, of course, is that you can actually see who is intruding.
Peep into a wireless camera or a battery-powered security camera; not only are the wires a hassle, but they’re easy to unplug if you’re dealing with an intruder who’s serious about the business. If you can’t afford a decent security camera, look into hidden webcams and baby monitors.
Stay safe
If you suspect that someone is breaking into your room, take precautions not only to catch the culprit, but also for your own safety. Change your locks and consider buying a high quality mechanical lock ( not electronic ).
And one final tip: To give yourself peace of mind (or proof of an intrusion), take before and after photos of your room every time you come and go. Finally, if you’re ready to part with your credit card, here are the best home security systems to look out for this year.