us Personal safety & immediate danger security camera tampering • doorbell camera disabled • ring camera covered • camera moved off mount • suspicious person outside house • stranger on property • possible break in attempt • home intrusion warning • trespasser at front door • someone hiding from camera • motion alert at night • camera vandalism outside • home security sabotage • someone messing with cctv • should i call 911 • non emergency police number • suspicious activity report • someone trying my door

What to do if…
your security camera shows someone covering, moving, or disabling it outside your home

Short answer

Treat this as a potential break-in attempt. Get everyone inside and away from doors/windows, lock up, and call 911 if there’s immediate danger (someone is still there, trying to enter, or a crime is in progress); otherwise contact your local police/sheriff non-emergency number (or official online reporting) and preserve the video.

Do not do these things

Do not go outside to confront them or “see what they’re doing”.
Do not open the door to “warn them off” or shout face-to-face.
Do not stand close to windows/doors to watch—especially with lights on behind you.
Do not post the clip publicly while this is unfolding (it can escalate or tip them off).
Do not factory-reset/wipe your camera system before saving the footage you can access.
Do not touch or move anything outside right now if you suspect someone may return.

What to do now

Create a safer pause (30–60 seconds).
Lock doors, check ground-level windows, and move everyone to an interior room away from the front of the home.
Decide quickly: 911 or non-emergency.
- Call 911 if the person is on your property now, trying doors/windows, you think a break-in is in progress, or you feel in immediate danger.
- If they’ve left and there’s no immediate danger, call your local police/sheriff non-emergency number or use your department’s official online reporting (many departments offer it).
Make “non-emergency” actionable without guessing numbers.
If you don’t know the non-emergency number, look it up from your city/county police or sheriff’s official website (search “(your city/county) police non-emergency number”).
Use safe deterrents you can control from inside.
Turn on exterior lights, interior lights, or your alarm/siren if you can do it from your phone/control panel. Avoid stepping outside to adjust anything.
Use the video to capture details without exposing yourself.
Write down what you can: clothing, height/build, any tools/bags, direction they went. If there’s a vehicle in view, note make/model/color and any readable plate—from the video only.
Preserve evidence calmly.
- Save/download the clip(s) and take a screenshot of the event timeline if your app shows it.
- Note date/time, what they did (covered lens, moved mount, cut power), and how long they were there.
If you’re not home: don’t return yet.
Stay away. Call 911 if you believe someone may still be there; otherwise call the non-emergency line to report tampering and ask what they recommend before you go back. Wait somewhere safe nearby.
If you’re in an apartment/HOA/community:
Notify building security/management that someone tampered with a camera near your unit and ask them to preserve any hallway/parking-lot footage.

What can wait

You do not need to decide right now whether to buy new cameras, add a fence, or change your entire security setup.
You do not need to identify the person yourself or “prove” what happened before calling.
You do not need to go outside to fix the camera immediately (safety first; save what you have first).
You do not need to make a neighborhood post right now.

Important reassurance

A camera being targeted can feel very personal and alarming. Your job in the first minutes is not to solve it—it’s to stay safe, slow things down, and bring in help if needed.

Scope note

This guide covers immediate first steps to reduce risk and avoid irreversible mistakes. Follow-up steps (repairs, upgrades, reports, insurance) can happen after the situation is stable.

Important note

This is general information, not legal advice. If you believe someone is outside now or attempting to enter, prioritize safety and call emergency services.

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What to do if…your security camera shows someone covering, moving, or disabling it outside your home