Sydney retiree goes viral after spending $55k on home surveillance

Driving past Alex Saikaly’s home on a busy corner in Sydney's south-west, you would be forgiven for thinking he has something to hide.

With more than 30 security cameras rolling 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the retiree’s suburban fortress in Hurstville has turned him into an unlikely social media icon.

The 77-year-old grandfather bought the property in 1991, but it wasn’t until 2008 that he installed his very first camera in a bid to deter vandals and graffitists.

From there, he became hooked on home security, steadily expanding his setup until his property resembled a high-security facility.

Saikaly now has 32 cameras covering every imaginable angle around his property.

Over the years, the extensive surveillance network has cost him about $55,000, an investment he insists is worth “every single penny”.

Living along busy King Georges Road, Saikaly says his wall of lenses has had an unexpected side effect: slowing down speeding drivers.

Before, he claims traffic accidents outside his front gate were a weekly occurrence, but drivers now mistake his home setup for a police speed trap.

“I slow them down, they’re more careful,” he said.

His camera setup has also turned him into an informal hub for local law enforcement.

Police regularly knock on his door to request high-definition footage of nearby traffic crashes, street crime, and neighbourhood disputes.

While neighbours and passersby often stop to gawk or post videos of the home online, Saikaly insists his obsessive setup comes down to a simple desire to keep his household and community safe in an unpredictable world.

“Expect the unexpected,” he said. 

“You can never be too prepared, and no one is ever going to be sneaking up on me.”