Service provider Be, now owned by cellular operator 02, has launched a £5-a-month home monitoring service that will text or email you if it detects an intrusion. You switch the system on simply by pressing a button on a keyfob remote as you leave home. A wireless camera is connected directly to the Be network and can be assessed from any online computer.

The service can also be set up to send a picture to your phone in the event of an intrusion. Subscribers can also view up to 100 alarm incidents. There is a set-up fee of £150. You can see a video here,