Last Christmas, I received a gift that, at the time, I didn’t think much of—a bulb Wi-Fi camera. It was from a tech-savvy relative who loved gadgets, and while I appreciated the thought, I wasn’t sure I needed it. After all, I had a decent security system in place.
The tiny, inconspicuous camera was designed to screw into any standard light socket and blend in as a regular bulb, offering a live feed straight to my phone. It seemed like a cool device, but it sat in its box for weeks before I finally decided to install it in the hallway near the back door.
Little did I know that this small Christmas gift would soon become one of the most valuable things in my home.
It was a regular night. The kids were asleep, and I had just gone to bed when I received an alert on my phone—a motion detection notification from the camera. At first, I thought it might have been one of the kids waking up or the dog wandering around. But when I opened the app and checked the live feed, my heart stopped.
Two men, dressed in black and wearing masks, were inside my house.
For a moment, I froze. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The burglars had broken in through the back door, probably assuming everyone was asleep. But there they were, caught clearly on the camera's feed as they crept through the hallway.
Thanks to the live footage, I knew exactly where they were in the house. I immediately called the police, and as I stayed on the line with them, I could see the burglars moving from room to room, unaware that they were being recorded. The camera even captured clear audio of their hushed conversation, which added to the evidence.
Within minutes, the police arrived, surrounding the house. Watching it unfold on the live feed, I saw the burglars try to escape, but the police were already on them. The officers apprehended them without incident. It was a huge relief knowing that my family and home were safe, all thanks to that tiny, unassuming camera.
In the days that followed, I couldn’t stop talking about how that camera had saved the day. I showed the footage to friends and family, and every time, they were just as shocked as I had been. The clarity of the video, the seamless connection to my phone, and the fact that it had acted like an ordinary bulb—no one could believe how effective it was.
Since then, I’ve made it a point to recommend it to almost everyone I know. Whether it’s for added peace of mind or just a little extra security, I’ve told my friends and neighbors about how this small device helped me catch burglars in the act. Now, many of them have similar cameras installed in their homes too.
Looking back, that Christmas gift was much more than a cool gadget. It became a lifeline when I needed it most, and now, I can’t imagine living without it.