Amsterdam to hand out Fake TV sets to deter burglars

Amsterdam is handing out Fake TV sets to 500 homes in Nieuw-West to deter burglars. The idea is that the fake TV, which mimics the light effects of a real television, will make burglars think that someone is home. This forms part of the city's so-called Masterplan Home Burglaries. The Fake TV's will be distributed among residents of Aker Oost, the area of Nieuw-West that had the most burglaries in recent years. The municipality sent a letter to residents inviting them to a meeting on Friday where they can collect a Fake TV for free per address. The United States released the Fake-TV six years ago. Below is a video explaining how it works.