For what it's worth, I use CCTV at my home to deter theft. (It's also very nice for aiding the police after the fact.) I also keep everything that can go indoors inside. I lock my home (and double check all of the locks, including windows, regularly) and set the (monitored) alarm when I leave.
Despite all of this, my outdoor dog (which was attached to a run-line) was stolen a couple years ago, along with four other neighbor's dogs in the same neighborhood. They waited until the dog had run momentarily out of direct view of the cameras. It's only took (literally) seconds. They were never caught.
I'm a huge advocate of video surveillance; once again as a secondary (or tertiary) measure, in addition to containment. Nothing on its own is perfect, but by using multiple approaches in order to tackle a problem, you can come close. It is also important to tailor the security to each particular situation. (An example being that if you live near where trains run (or any other loud noise), then an unmonitored alarm system becomes a much less viable option.)
In a fairly related statement: The Discovery Channel has a show here in the U.S. that makes for a pretty good, educational watch,
It Takes a Thief.
The premise is that two convicted burglars check out a neighborhood and find a home where the owner agrees to be entered (with the stipulation that everything taken is returned). They break in, take everything valuable, and leave. The owner (and family) watch on hidden cameras. Then everything gets returned and the two "hosts" show the homeowner how to better secure the property and installs/fixes anything that needs to be done. At the end of the show, the two burglars come back a random number of weeks later (without the homeowners knowledge) and tape themselves trying to break in again. They then reveal the new tape and the results of the attempt to the owner and his family.
It makes for entertaining
and educational television.