A New Way to Make Vacant Homes Look Occupied

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., July 21 /PRNewswire/ -- The housing market
correction has left more than 2 millions homes vacant, making them prime
targets for burglars and vandals. But now, an inexpensive new burglar
deterrent device called "FakeTV" gives property owners a new and convincing
way to make these homes look occupied, making them less likely to become
targets for crime. FakeTV(TM) gives off light in just the way a real
television does, so from outside the home it looks like someone is watching
TV. A built-in light sensor turns FakeTV on at dusk, and it stays on for a
preset time. FakeTV's super-bright, computer-controlled LED's faithfully
reproduce the scene changes, color shifts, flicks and fades of a real
television. Viewed from outside the home, the effects of FakeTV are
essentially indistinguishable from the real thing.

So, some savvy owners of vacant properties use FakeTV to give their
home a lived-in look. A "For Sale" may advertise to potential home-buyers,
but also sends the "might be vacant" message to potential thieves. Real
estate agents have placed FakeTVs in vacant houses to make them look like
someone is still living there. An unfurnished house can be an easy target
for vandals, criminals looking for copper, arson, or even squatters looking
for a place to live. A California contractor deployed two FakeTVs during a
recent renovation of a vacant property, saying that "crime has been a bit
of a problem in this neighborhood, and I wanted to make sure nobody broke
in and stole my tools!"

Few burglars will risk prison by breaking into an occupied house. A
prowler canvassing a neighborhood at night, upon seeing the light from
FakeTV, is likely to move on to an easier target. When the burglar sees the
light from an operating television, his imagination supplies the image of
the person watching it. Modern televisions turn on with push buttons, so
they cannot be put on timers. Whether or not they have given it any
thought, people generally associate an operating television with an
occupied home.

The usual tips remain the first line of defense for a vacant property:
keep the yard maintained, stop the mail, and frequently clear away
advertising material that gets left at the door. These steps are especially
important if a "For Sale" sign graces the front lawn. But now, in the
battle against burglars, FakeTV gives property owners a powerful new
deterrent. FakeTV costs less than $40 at a number of on-line retailers and
at http://www.FakeTV.com. For more information visit http://www.FakeTV.com
or call 1-888-621-5800.



For high-resolution images, visit http://www.faketv.com/pressrelease.

Contact:

Rein Teder
President
Opto-Electronic Design, Inc.
888-621-5800
info@faketv.com
This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information,
visit http://www.ereleases.com.

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[Via Real Estate Newswire]

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