"Stop thief" is, well, so 20th century. Soon home security systems will not only catch burglars, they will call them by their names, too. A burglar sneaking into a 2025 home will have to run the gauntlet of a whole lot of hi-tech security if they want to make off with some loot.Waiting for the criminal will be burglar alarms that identify them through facial recognition. There will also be dye sprays that will mark them in case they escape and drones that will launch from nearby rooftops and chase them.These are the home crime busters of the near future, says a report released by Futurizon,commissioned by security company ADT in the US. The report envisions a lot of hi-tech that will be interconnected not only in the home but also across neighbourhoods.The idea is that they will stop crimes before they happen.Gone will be the old neighbourhood watch of tired humans patrolling their suburb. They will be replaced by cameras that will identify a suspicious stranger in the 'hood immediately.To chase them away, the report says, alarms could use low-frequency sounds or strobe lights to disorient them. On the cards are robotic bodyguards, smart walls that detect the pressure of someone climbing over them and water pistols in the garden that spray dye.But local criminologist Rudolph Zinn is sceptical."With CCTV footage and facial recognition software we find that criminals start using disguises or they move to other areas," he said.Zinn said another problem with such technology was that it would have to rely on integrated databases, which were controversial. Accessing databases could be unconstitutional and problematic. "Someone walking through a neighbourhood and has a criminal record is not necessarily a criminal. He might just live on the street."This all might sound very nice, but it is something we are unlikely to see in South Africa because of our legislation," he said...