Stalker

‘As you know from our telephone conversation,’ Russ continued, ‘the thieves got in through the study and then crossed the living room and attacked me in the hall. The alarm did its job but without cameras there’s little chance of identifying them. So we were thinking of cameras at the rear, sides and front of the house.’

‘Yes, indeed,’ Derek said, making a note. ‘I agree.’ He followed Russ and his wife into the study.

‘They levered that picture window,’ Julie exclaimed, pointing, the fear returning to her eyes.

‘The new ones can’t be levered out,’ Russ added. ‘They’re being replaced tomorrow.’

‘Good,’ Derek said. Russ had certainly done his homework. He nodded thoughtfully, looked around and made another note, then followed them out of the study, back across the living room, and into the kitchen-cum-diner that ran the entire depth of the house. All recently refurbished with yards of glinting polished granite work surfaces. Incredible how some people prioritized their spending. Forty thousand plus on a new kitchen but leave in a crap alarm system.

‘You’ve got a lovely home,’ Derek enthused.

‘Thank you,’ Julie said.

‘So we need to protect it and keep you and your family safe from the scum who steal rather than work.’

‘Exactly my feeling,’ Russ agreed. Derek thought it would be.

He made a quick sketch of the downstairs and then asked to see upstairs. Russ led the way up to the landing and then in and out of the four bedrooms, the family bathroom and downstairs again.

‘Lovely house,’ Derek said again, ingratiating himself a little further.

Russ opened the door to the cloakroom so Derek could see in and then led them through the garage and outside, where he pointed out where he thought the cameras should be sited.

‘I agree.’ Derek nodded, adding them to the sketch. He then spent a few moments looking interestedly at the back of the house and garden while omitting to say he was already familiar with the outside of their house from the Internet.

‘Excellent,’ he said. ‘Shall we go inside now and I’ll talk you through what I have in mind – incorporating your wishes, of course. And perhaps,’ he said, turning to Julie with a humble smile, ‘I could take you up on your kind offer of a coffee? It would be most welcome.’

‘Yes, of course.’

While Julie made coffee, Derek sat with Russ at the oak dining table at the other end of the kitchen-diner and set out the brochures and paperwork, waiting until Julie returned with their drinks before beginning. Women expected to be involved now.

‘So this is an outline of your house,’ he said, pointing to the plan he’d sketched. ‘I’m proposing siting the cameras here, here, here and here – more or less where you suggested.’ Russ looked pleased. ‘These are the cameras I use.’ He showed them the glossy leaflet. ‘I always recommend spending the money on decent high-definition cameras. They give you excellent daytime vision and infrared at night. They are more expensive but the images are so sharp the police can use them to identify suspects. Not that you will be broken into again once this is all installed.’

‘Well, that’s a relief,’ Julie said.

‘I explained to my wife that the reason one of the other quotes was so cheap was because they used analogue cameras,’ Russ said.

‘Exactly. You are well informed. I’ll run the external wiring in conduit.’

‘What’s that?’ Julie asked.

‘It’s a hard plastic tube that protects the wires so they can’t be cut,’ Russ said.

‘I couldn’t have explained it better myself,’ Derek said, flashing him an approving smile. ‘It’s the safest option otherwise a would-be intruder would simply snip through the wire and disconnect the camera. Most intruders carry wire cutters. It’s a small additional cost to you but worth it.’

‘Oh yes, we must have those conduits,’ Julie agreed, shuddering at the recollection of their break-in.

Derek made a note. ‘In respect of the monitor I suggest this fifteen-inch colour monitor.’ He opened another leaflet.

‘You wouldn’t run it through the television then?’ Russ enquired.

‘No. It’s the less expensive option but using the television as your surveillance monitor is cumbersome and ineffective in practice. If you have a separate monitor you just glance at it. I would suggest situating it in the hall.’

‘We’ll have the monitor you recommend,’ Russ said. ‘What about voice warning alarms? You know those that give a recorded warning message – you are being recorded on CCTV – or similar.’

‘I can install one if you wish – it’s not a problem – but I don’t usually use them.’

‘Why not?’

‘They can be very annoying to neighbours and in practice they are more likely to deter your newspaper boy than a would-be intruder. I think the money would be better spent on additional security lights.’ He paused for their reaction. He never rushed his clients.

‘Yes, go ahead,’ Russ said. ‘We have one security light down the sideway so we can see our way to the bins.’

‘Noted,’ Derek said. ‘And I would suggest another at the rear and down the other sideway.’

‘Not at the front as well?’ Russ queried.

‘Not necessary. You have the ornamental down lights, which you leave on all night.’

‘How did you know we left them on?’ Russ asked, looking at him.

A slight hesitation before Derek replied. ‘You seem sensible and it’s a reasonable precaution to illuminate the front of the house rather than leaving it in darkness.’ He smiled reassuringly and moved on. ‘That’s the external security taken care of. Have you considered having a surveillance camera indoors?’

‘Whatever for?’ Julie asked surprised. ‘There’s only us and the children here.’

‘You don’t ever use a nanny, au pair, babysitter or cleaner?’ Derek queried, assured of the answer.

‘We have a cleaner,’ Julie replied. ‘But she’s been with us for years. Our babysitter is our goddaughter, a lovely girl. I trust them both.’

‘I’m sure you do – as would most folk – but many of my clients who take this option are surprised by what they find goes on in their absence. I’m not trying to scare you into buying something you’re not comfortable with, but I wouldn’t be doing my job properly if I didn’t suggest all the options. Think about it and let me know. If you do decide to go ahead I would suggest one camera in the living room. You can easily turn it off on the monitor so you don’t have to keep seeing yourselves.’

‘We’ll think about it,’ Russ said.

Derek nodded. ‘Nearly finished,’ he said, glancing at his watch. ‘I won’t keep you much longer. Now to the NVR – that’s the video recorder. It records constantly and keeps the recording for thirty days and then resets. I’d like to situate it out of the way in the garage.

‘That’s fine,’ Russ said.

‘And last but certainly not least I’d recommend connecting your surveillance system to the Internet, so you can watch your home and see it is safe when you’re out.’

‘Yes, of course,’ Russ said.

‘You’ll be able to access your CCTV on your phone, tablet or laptop. Here, let me show you my office.’ He always gave this little demonstration although clients rarely needed convincing. Blokes especially were eager to sign up to the latest online technology and impress their mates and work colleagues.

He placed his phone on the table between them so they could both see it and tapped the icon. ‘There’s my office,’ he said proudly as the image displayed. ‘It’s empty at present, as it should be; we’re all out on jobs. There’s the lockup where I keep the vans overnight. The system I have is the same as the one I would install here. See how sharp the images are.’ They both nodded enthusiastically, clearly impressed, as most clients were. He allowed them time to savour the images as he zoomed in and out. ‘And here’s my home,’ he continued, swiping the screen. ‘Again, the same system I would use here.’ Julie peered closely at the webcam images of the inside of his home.

‘Do you live alone?’ she asked, which took him by surprise.

‘Why do you ask?’ he said, and closed the website.