While the Nest Hello Doorbell typically deters thieves, acting as a vigilant eye against potential criminals, its own security is a question many homeowners ponder. Though installing a Nest Hello Video Doorbell is straightforward, it’s equally simple to remove.
Indeed, the Nest Doorbell can be stolen — with just a paperclip, a thief could disengage it from your wall and disconnect the wiring. However, the stolen device would be of limited use. Without the chime connector, it won’t work as intended and can’t be linked to another account. Additionally, Nest offers a Theft Replacement Policy, adding an extra layer of security for users.
The steps to follow and details of the Theft Replacement Policy are outlined further below.
With 130° wide-angle lens and night-vision, you’re going to catch the thieves red-handed, and the video footage is going to be uploaded to the cloud for you to submit to police as evidence.
It also won’t pair up with any other Google account unless you reset it according to the instructions in this article, so it has no resale value for them.
They would also be missing the chime connector, which is required to make the Nest Hello function properly.
If the thieves are really dull, though, there are a couple of ways in which you can prevent your Nest Doorbell from being stolen, skip ahead to learn more about them.
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What To Do If Your Nest Hello Doorbell Gets Stolen
Get a free replacement!
That’s right. If your Nest Hello Door Bell gets stolen, you can get a replacement unit free of charge as long as you live in the United States or Canada.
There are some qualifying criteria that are in place to avoid fraudsters.
Let’s look at the most important stipulations within the Nest Hello Theft Replacement Policy before we get to the steps to follow for a free replacement.
Theft Replacement Policy Overview
- Nest Hello reserves the right to deny this courtesy service at any time because of suspected fraud or for any other reason.
- You will need to file a police report that documents the theft of your Nest Hello.
- You will need to contact Nest and request for the replacement within six months of the police report date to qualify for a replacement.
- Nest will need to confirm that the Nest Hello was installed and operational at the time of the incident.
- The Theft Replacement Policy does not include replacements for any theft during or upon delivery, and it doesn’t cover any Nest Hello that is not installed at the time of the theft.
- You will have to connect your account in the Nest app before qualifying for replacement.
- Nest may replace your stolen unit with a new or refurbished one.
Steps to apply for a free Nest Hello replacement
- File a police report. As soon as you realize your Nest Hello has been stolen, you will need to file the police report so that they can document it and advise you going forward. If you have a GoogleNest Aware subscription, you must save the footage of the theft and submit it to the police to add to the case file.
- Request a copy of the police report. You will need to provide Nest with a copy of the report for them to process your replacement.
- Contact Nest. After you have received your copy of the police report, contact Nest to request a replacement. They will guide you through the replacement process.
Warning: Don’t remove your Hello from your account in the Nest app before contacting Nest support to follow their instructions. They need it to be connected to process your replacement.
You don’t have to worry about anyone accessing your footage in the cloud as it is completely secure with your password, and having your Nest Hello device isn’t going to give the thief access to anything.
How To Deter Thieves From Stealing Your Nest Hello Doorbell
You can deter thieves from stealing your Nest Hello in several ways.
Warn them
Criminals prefer to steal from houses that don’t have cameras. Some don’t even realize that there’s a camera in your Nest Hello, so let them know with a sign like this one on Amazon.
It will definitely deter a certain percentage of thieves as they don’t want to deal with video evidence of their crimes.
Install securely
Make sure that when you screw in your backplate (mounting bracket), that you secure it flush with the wall leaving no gaps for thieves to take advantage of.
Try to install the doorbell in a place that isn’t clearly visible from the street and rather visible only when a person gets into your property.
Get an angle on them
Try to mount your Nest Hello onto your wall in a way to capture anyone approaching the door from a few meters away. That way, you can capture their faces before they get to the Nest Hello.
Also, try not to have the street in the camera’s view because it will always be busy with vehicles and pedestrians.
Use a Protective Cover
Though not the most effective method, a cover like the elago Silicone Case can hide the brand of your video doorbell and make it less attractive to thieves.
Here’s A Prime Example Of Two Ignorant Thieves
In the video, we clearly see the faces of the two thieves who obviously aren’t thinking about the possibility of their faces being recorded and uploaded to the cloud for the owner to release to news stations.
They must also not know anything about selling Nest Doorbells that can’t be re-used by a new owner. Not to mention the owner of this Nest Doorbell says he even has another camera that got footage of their vehicle registration number, so it’s only a matter of time until they get caught.
How Can You Transfer Your Nest Hello To A New Owner
You cannot simply transfer your Nest Hello to another person. The Google account that it was set up with the first time will be the Google account that owns the device. Unless you reset your Nest Hello and then remove the device from your app after that.
You have to reset and remove your device inside your app before anyone can connect it to a new account.
If one of your family members set it up with their Google account, they can give you full access to the device as a solution.
Otherwise, go through these instructions to reset the Nest Hello and remove it from the app to set it up with another account afterward.
First, follow the steps for resetting your Nest Hello
Just before you start, if you have a Nest Aware subscription, don’t cancel it if you still want to use the Nest Hello yourself.
You must have physical access to the camera to perform this reset and can’t be done through the app alone. Make sure to have the removal tool, paperclip, or thumbtack available.
- Remove the base of the Nest Hello by inserting the pin into the hole at the bottom of the unit and then pull the base off.
- Place your unlock pin into the reset hole at the back of the device, then press and hold the big doorbell button in the front at the same time for 10 seconds.
- The doorbell chime will sound off, and the light ring will start spinning blue. After 10 seconds have passed while holding the two buttons, the light ring will flash yellow, and then everything will switch off. Release the two buttons now.
- Wait for the doorbell chime to sound off, and the light ring will slowly pulsate blue. After this happens, the factory reset is done.
- Once the factory reset is complete, the Hello status in your Nest app will be offline until you remove it from the app.
Steps on removing Nest Hello from your account/Nest app
- Sign in to the Nest Application.
- On the app home screen, tap the Menu icon in the top left corner. Select the home that has your device connected to it.
- On the home screen, tap the settings icon.
- Tap the Nest Hello Doorbell.
- Scroll down to the bottom and select “Remove Nest Hello.”
- You will need to confirm your selection.
- Nest will send you an email confirming the removal of the device from your account.
- Now that it’s reset, you can pass it on to someone else to use.
Only after doing all of this will anyone be able to use your Nest Hello with a different account.
Conclusion: Can Nest Doorbell Be Stolen?
Even though the Nest Doorbell can be stolen, it’s actually useless for someone to steal it.
They will soon discover that nobody wants to buy it because it’s locked to a different Google account, and there’s no chime connector. They will also be caught in the act as well with the wide-angle lens and night vision.
If you can, try to deter the ignorant thieves by using the techniques explained above, securely installing it, warning signs, and getting a good camera angle.
In the event that someone is stupid enough to steal your Nest Hello, you can apply for a replacement unit free of charge through the Nest Theft Replacement Policy.
Just make sure to connect your account with the Nest app and have the Nest Hello fully installed to qualify for the replacement.
If you want to pass your Nest Hello on to someone else to use, just follow the instructions above on how to reset the device and remove it from your account.
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