placement is key
any higher risk area's and your going to have to worry about them growing legs and getting stolen
if your camera can be fitted to a GOOD bear proof like metal box that you can BOLT thej whole thing to a tree, and the metal BOX can be locked and the metal BOX< also protects the lock from simple bolt cutters
there the best set ups I know of(typically they were from cuddleback camera's, but know a few after market company's were making some too)
I have had about 30 or so cam's stolen over the yrs, tried about everything, from placing them HIGH up in tree's(almost 20 ft high)
and the metal bear boxes that again protect LOCKS< have been the best for not getting stolen so far
HOWEVER< that doesn;t mean camera's were still OK
had folks SHOOT them, had pone guy cut whole tree down to get camera?
or had camera's box and all bear with things like bats or metal pipes or who know's what was used, camera was still there, but destroyed while trying to knock them off the tree, I use 1/2' thick lag bolts to lock boxes to tree, add cable locks as well!
keep in mind that if in PA and on state or federal lands, its ILLEGAL to bolt a cam to a tree?
the newer remote camera's that send pic's to you directly, can help with thefts, and MAYBE get you a pic, or know when one is being taken, but there not perfect
I have said for YRS, that trail camera makers would benefit from adding GPS Tracking systems in camera's
and for a FEE< they can turn on and track camera's
as I gather most folks that have camera's get one stolen at some point, and would sure be nice to pay someone a visit that took them!
never mind calling the cops!
and GPS Trackers cannot be that costly as every darn phone has one, and think if the $$ a camera company can make offering the service to find a stolen camera!
in higher risk places I only use cheaper camera's now, as odds are sooner or later one will be stolen
worst part of things is, I BET< most camera's stolen are stolen by fellow hunters, what a shame!