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What to know before you buy a DIY home security system

Ring's basic outdoor camera will cost you $100, but a package with a camera and a spotlight will cost you closer to $350.

RICHFIELD, Minn. — Several of the suspects in a burglary spree across the metro have been captured on camera, thanks to DIY home security systems like Ring and Nest.

If you’re thinking about buying one to protect your home, you should know they can vary greatly in price and there are a lot of options to choose from. 

"Really do your homework," said Daniel Wroclawski, who reviewed ten security systems for Consumer Reports,"All these systems, they try to lure you in with a really attractive starter kit price. Often times, your cost is going to be a lot higher when you add in all the extras you might want."

For example, Ring's basic outdoor camera will cost you $100, but a package with a camera and a spotlight will cost you closer to $350. 

"This is more of your pick and choose your solution, your a a carte," said Best Buy Team Lead, Cam Kashef, motioning to the Ring section in Best Buy's Richfield location. 

Kashef says he's been getting more questions about home security systems as of late. 

He says SimpliSafe has a package which includes most things you'd need for basic security for $370. 

"That's going to be the type of stuff where I walk in, that's the price, and I know exactly what I'm getting," he said. 

We also spoke with a Twin Cities security company, which specializes in setting up systems specific to your home. They warn that the DIY systems you buy in a store can give you a false sense of security, if you don't install them correctly.

 

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