A red-brick home in Sydney's Hurstville suburb has drawn considerable attention for its transformation into a highly fortified residence, equipped with 24 security cameras, 18 searchlights, and two reinforced steel gates.
The owners, Alex and Julie Saikaly, who purchased the property over 30 years ago, stated their extensive security measures are a direct response to a perceived lack of trust in their neighbors, whom they described as "thieves."
"This is our home and we don't want to move, so we spent a lot of money on cameras," Ms. Saikaly told the Daily Mail. The total cost of the security upgrades amounted to approximately $60,000, a sum exceeding one-third of the house's original purchase price in 1991. The installation of these features took more than a month.
The security system is designed to cover every angle of the property, including the adjacent driveway. In addition to the cameras and lights, the house features electric roller shutters on its garage and windows, as well as bars on the doors. Even two trailers parked on the street outside are secured with heavy steel chains.
Fred Nagi, a social media personality and former member of the Brothers for Life gang, visited the property after footage of the heavily secured house went viral. In a clip shared online, Nagi expressed his curiosity about the extreme security. When Mr. Saikaly answered the door, he explained that the cameras were installed for "safety and protection," operating on a 24-hour recording basis.
Nagi was invited inside to view the home's monitoring setup, describing the interior room as resembling "Fort Knox."
Security specialists suggest that 24 cameras for a single-story home may be excessive, with the general recommendation being sufficient coverage of all external perimeters, doors, and windows.