By: Claire Zhou

In Overland Park, Kansas, the mansions in the community are equipped with about five security cameras. However, these cameras lack night vision and upgrades.

Tony Thurman, the owner, and lead salesman at Shield Security Systems of Kansas City, might be able to help.

“The cameras are terrible,” said one of his clients, a 66-year-old real estate agent who had moved into a dream house and inherited its old surveillance system. “I want to pull them out and start over.”

Everyone has been more paranoid lately, and that has contributed to Thurman’s increased business. His sales have grown significantly since the pandemic began, largely due to Americans’ heightened concerns about growing threats.

Many Americans are afraid of burglars, gangs, and child predators. They believe that crime is rising worldwide. Over the last three years, the number of people who have reported feeling endangered in their area has surged, especially among Republicans.

What Thurman fears is that this paranoia might lead to sudden acts of violence. He acknowledges that he doesn’t blame people for being scared. It’s the state of the world and the cultural shifts that contribute to these fears.