Today's door locks were patented in 1851. Burglar alarms were invented in 1858. Solving crimes using fingerprints began in 1911; motion sensor detectors appeared in 1953; and today's video surveillance that's watching you (and me) isn't exactly new either. While we get more and more used to cameras in stores, banks, and casinos, we see more residential "monitored security" too. Today, 18% of all new homes have it, and many babysitters now suspect a hidden "nanny cam" is watching them. But is video surveillance really new? The first reported use of a camera to catch a thief was in 1914, when a farmer rigged one with a trip-wire to "see" who was stealing cantaloupes. It was his brother! The crime was solved. So the next time you're caught on film or tape, remember that locks, alarms, and many of today's security devices are actually ideas and concepts that trace way back. It's only the "technology" that's new (and more of it.)