One of the best app options for setting up your phone as a security camera is Alfred. It's cross-platform, so it doesn't matter if your old phone was an Android phone or iPhone. And the same goes for your new phone.

If required, you can mount your smartphone using a tripod or car mount to position your old phone. For a wider view, consider adding an inexpensive wide-angle lens. ( Amazon, $23). You may also want to consider keeping it plugged in to avoid the eventual dead battery.

Soon, criminals will have more eyes on them, or at least that’s the idea. Upgrades are being made to the cameras in Chinatown as dozens of high-definition cameras continue to be installed and there are more on the way.