Home Security System As A Staple
In these times that we live in, you can never be too sure about who might be lurking around your house. With that in mind, it is of utmost importance to invest in certain products that can help you stay away from risks, harm and damage. As you know, not all trouble has to be brought by another human, but it can be due to an environmental disaster, fire, or flood.
Also, if you live in a rural area, then you shouldn’t be surprised to come across undomesticated animals now and then. Whatever it is, the benefits of a home security system, including a camera and an alarm mechanism, can go a long way.
Is It Legal To Have A Security Camera?
Something that many people wonder is whether they can install a security camera without breaking any laws. The answer is yes - as long as you are filming your property, setting up a security mechanism is something that you shouldn’t worry about. This goes both for the surveillance and security cameras, with the only difference being that with the latter, the signal/image is transmitted to a nearby monitor.
What you should know is that if you are planning to install a camera inside your house, then you should ensure that the person that will be recorded has given consent. While we don’t doubt that they did, given the fact that you are living together, you want to make sure that they are okay with a security camera being put in the house.
Security Cameras To Fend Off Intruders
Although not all intruders understand security cameras, humans do, which is one of the main reasons you should think about investing in such an item. Whether it is a burglar or someone who is simply spying around your house, they will probably change their minds when they see that you have installed a security camera.
It is a fact that no one likes to get caught, and a security camera sure does stand as a staple of prevention. Even if you aren’t at home, the ability to roll the recording back and find what has happened goes a long way.
Hendersons Had It Right With Their CCTV Camera
The story that we are covering today is that of a couple from Saltdean, East Sussex, about how they decided to install CCTV cameras simply because they had no clue what was happening in their home while they were sleeping.
To have someone wander around while you are asleep certainly isn’t the ideal situation, which is the main reason why they decided to set up a security camera and have the intruder recorded. It all started when recruitment consultant, Zoe, was woken up by a noise coming from their kitchen.
Some Intruders Leave Unattended
In most cases, an intruder will either leave the property without trying to do anything or get what they came for and then run away. The latter scenario was something that the Hendersons had to go through for the first few times.
The first night Zoe was disturbed by banging in the kitchen, she decided to get up and check what’s happening, but she simply couldn’t catch the intruder as it left through the cat flap. She was utterly confused and went back to sleep.
Cat Flaps As An Escape System
For the first couple of nights, it was the cat flap that made it much harder for the Hendersons to figure out who was messing with them.
The main thing that they were relieved by is that nothing was stolen or broken in the house - still not knowing who is at their property was killing them.
Intruding As A Regular Occurrence
While the couple does have a few cats, they could never imagine that the intruder will use the entrance/exit door that they made for their pats as an escape route.
Not all cat doors are of the same size, but the one that is set at their home isn’t too large, which made them question even more who the intruder could be.
A Couple Nights Of Mess
After the first night and Zoe being too late to catch the intruder, the next few nights were identical. She would be woken up by noise only to miss the intruder.
What they were now certain about is that the intruder came in a dark shape, that it was swift and pretty cunning. These traits only made the assumptions harder.
The Rural Area Of East Sussex
The fact that the couple was living in the East Sussex area makes the story much more believable, as it isn’t that urbanized.
With that in mind, the couple knew that the intruder didn’t have to be a person but could also be some wild animal, making them feel even more uneasy.
They Had To React
Being aware that they won’t be able to catch the intruder on its own, they decided to set up a security system and get it on a camera. Little did they know, the CCTV wasn’t able to get a clear image for the first few times either.
The swiftness of the intruder was simply too much even though they had installed a security camera that is of the latest technology.
Cat Food Gone Missing
With the security system being up and running, the couple was quite confident that the intruder would be recorded at a certain point in time.
Until then, all they could go by was that it was entering and exiting through the cat flap and that the only items that were going missing were cat kibbles.
Who Likes Cat Food?
Zoe Henderson, who is pretty experienced with animals and pets, questioned this occurrence. She was quite sure that if the intruder were a human, they wouldn’t take cat food but something of a greater value.
Although this would be a relief for some, Zoe and her husband Bruce weren’t as relieved, given the fact that they were scared of getting bitten by a wild animal. Or worse!
The Risk Of Rabies
During those couple of nights, they couldn’t get enough rest simply because they knew that at around 3 to 4 AM, the intruder would enter their house and take what they wanted.
They weren’t worrying that much about the fact that the cat food will be missing but that if they get bitten, there is a high chance of ending up with rabies.
Finding The Intruder By Her Bed
Luckily, before things could turn for the worse, the intruder decided to go and say hello to the couple. Although this was a shock for the Henderson’s, they were relieved to know more about those who broke into their house numerous times over the past few nights.
At the end of the day, Zoe was right with her conclusion from the first night, and that was that the intruder is dark and swift.
Brazen Badger Enjoying Comfort Of Home
One of the nights, Zoe felt that something was pressing against her side of the bed. She immediately woke up, and although she expected to see her cat, it was a whole different sort of an animal.
Yes, she came face-to-face with a brazen badger. In this scenario, most people would jump off their bed and run away (familiar with their “viciousness”), but that is not something that Zoe did.
Front Feet On Her Bad
The brazen badger was as interested in meeting Zoe as the Henderson couple were to find out more about the intruder.
When she rolled over at the bed, she saw that the feet weren’t of a cat but rather of a medium-sized badger that was looking straight into her eyes.
Zoe Stayed Cool
As Zoe suggested in an interview, she was shocked, but she felt that jumping away or reacting dramatically would only make things worse.
That is why she decided to go along with the situation and look back at the badger. Resembling this close encounter, she said that it much like meeting a domesticated animal (pointing out that the badger wasn’t aggressive).
Badger Went Out Through The Cat Flap
Probably more surprised to find Zoe in the bed than she was to find him in the bedroom, the brazen badger stood there for a couple of seconds before running away through the cat flap.
At this point, the cat door was something that he was most familiar with, and knowing that the householders were awake, he decided to leave the house.
Setting Up CCTV Cameras
While the CCTV cameras are usually set up to figure out what is happening in front of a house, the Henderson couple decided to have a few at the kitchen and entrance area.
Being aware that the intruder was a badger, they were particularly interested in finding out what he was up to apart from enjoying the cat food.
“Bertie” Raiding The Kitchen
While they were still uncertain whether the brazen badger had rabies or if it may bite them, they were pretty interested in meeting the animal one more time.
Through a couple of CCTV recordings, they figured out that “Bertie”, as they named him, was all about raiding the kitchen.
Staying Longer With Each Visit
According to the CCTV footage, the first time that brazen badger stayed at the house, it was only for about 10 minutes.
Still, as he found that entering and exiting the house is pretty simple given the cat flap, with each stay, he was there for a few minutes longer, enjoying all the cat food that was available.
The Repulsive Smell
One of the main issues that the couple had with the brazen badger raiding their home was the fact that the smell was hideous. Each morning, Bruce had to perform steam cleaning of the kitchen and surrounding area.
The brazen badger certainly wasn’t ashamed of the smell - after all, it is one of their best defense mechanisms.
Paying Visits To Other Households
As Bruce and Zoe later found out, they weren’t the only ones being visited by “Bertie”. He took advantage of the neighboring cat flaps and raided food from other households as well.
Still, at no time did the brazen badger try to hurt anybody, which is one of the main reasons why his raids were as successful.
Plodding And Sniffing Around
Zoe said that both her encounter and the CCTV footage showed that the badger wasn’t interested in anything else apart from sniffing around and getting some food.
Once he would get through with the plan, “Bertie” would swiftly leave the house, knowing that he can always get back for the next meal.
Putting An End To His Adventure
Unfortunately, although Zoe and Bruce weren’t scared of “Bertie”, they had to put an end to his adventures. The reason for that? Smell!
As they stated in the interview, having to deep clean the kitchen each morning took a lot of their time and wasn’t something they particularly enjoyed. If it weren’t for the smell, they would let him in regularly.
A Unique Experience
Although the Henderson couple was pretty alarmed by the fact that they had an intruder in their house, once they found out more details on who he was, they had nothing against it (apart from the odor).
It is a fact that most animal enthusiasts live a lifetime without seeing a badger, let alone having one raid their kitchen. They felt honored to a certain extent.
Zoe Recording “Bertie”
Before they decided to barricade the cat flap for good, Zoe decided to come out one night and record Bertie with her phone.
He had nothing against it as long as she wasn’t messing around with his meal. The video’s cutest moment is him putting paws on the oven and then exiting through the cat door.
Cat Door Shut For Good
After consulting between themselves, Zoe and Bruce realized that to prevent the intruder from entering and leaving their house smelly, they would have to shut the doors.
While it was not something that they enjoyed, Bertie wasn’t completely abandoned. His 4 AM meals were still available.
Food In Front Of Henderson’s House
Because of the unique experience and the fact that Bertie proved to be a friendly animal, Zoe and Bruce decided to start putting out food in front of their house.
This way, they prevented the badger from messing up their kitchen while still ensuring that it is satisfied.
Gave Badgers A Better Name
In the past couple of years, there have been numerous headlines suggesting how badgers are vicious and aggressive.
This is why a story such as this one goes a long way for doing justice to this beautiful and brave animal!