Preventing burglary and squatters at a short term rental

[Curt Bixel]

Recently, I had a break in at a short term rental I have in Columbus, Ohio.  The unit had only been vacant for two days when someone kicked in the back door.  I was lucky notice the break in quickly, as I just happened to stop by and check on the property within a day or two of them breaking in.  They had moved in a fair amount of personal belongings, mostly clothing, and had removed two televisions.  

The police asked if there was any security camera recordings, but when I contacted the management company, they said that there were not recordings because the memory cards had been removed from the cameras.  

Does anyone have any advice for this situation?  It seems like a design flaw to have a camera that can be so easily defeated.  Perhaps there are more expensive cameras that provide for more robust video capture?

I am having the locks replaced with ones that have an audible alarm if someone tries to force them, and I am improving the lighting on the property.  I have considered and ADT type alarm the contacts the police, but I have been told that the police are actually pretty slow to respond to those as most of the calls they get for these are false alarms.  

[John Underwood]

You need security cameras that upload to the cloud and send YOU motion alerts so you can check on property when no one is supposed to be there.