ThomasSmith

Hello, The issue I came here last years is still not resolved (someone still visiting our house for fun, despite of the complex security). We really devoted (and wasted) so much energy on this issue, so I'd like to ask only a single question here. (Please, don't try to help generally; or if you wish, I can dig up the old thread we posted here with my wife long ago, I have the whole issue described there.) So, facts are: we are 100% sure that someone enters our house approx. once per month (when we are away for night). We guess who he is (a former friend with military past who couldn't accept we ceased contact with him after he stole from us). He wants to harass us. We have modern cameras and alarm system, yet he is "invisible" on the recordings -- he leaves signs inside the house, but the outdoor recordings don't show anything. A policeman told us it's possible to "freeze" CCTV image by manipulating the voltage in the electric network. Is this possible? As I said, there are no black parts or missing timestamps in the recordings (only the hourly files are broken sometimes to two pieces, but timestamp continues properly in the second file). Is it possible that he (or his assistant) freezes the image for a few seconds while he reaches the next hideout (e.g. a bush in our garden), and thus slowly reaches the front door? (which he lockpicks -- we found lockpicking traces). Is it possible to "freeze" CCTV via manipulating the voltage in electrical network? Thanks a lot, P.S.: if you think this is some scam (like last time someone asked), then I can just say that I don't wish the same nightmare for you to be experienced.

[if you don't have time to read the long post, just please answer the following question, we're really desperate: is it possible to jam wired CCTV cameras in any way, without any physical/software trace, such that the RECORDED VIDEO doesn't show anything later?] Sorry for the off-topic start (sorry if it's wrong subforum...), but I must tell. Sorry for long winded post but we're truly desperate with my husband. A family, supposedly a neighbour family we know (who is jealous and hates us, they are three: man,woman,19yr-old son), has kept harassing us, the police can't do anything because no evidence and no damage. We live in a detached house, and we noticed in May that some stuff disappeared, later it reappeared again... even clothes, and they reappeared again in dirty state. Then cash was stolen. So each time we visited grandma 100km away and left the house alone, things disappeared and re-appeared in different places, usually in not too obvious places so we noticed them only later (e.g. in the bottom of drawers). We changed locks, but no luck. Then we got installed a motion detector and alarm system (wireless DSC), we thought it will be OK, but things remained the same bad (just more sporadical). So we ordered CCTV system, the technician told us that probably the intruders jam the DSC system when they come in. The DVR was put to a protected room of the house, and to a safe, and a wired IP camera checking that room. But signs kept coming again (each time we visit grandma), it is a big house (two floors), and it was my idea we need an UPS because he could just turn off electricity earlier (in the garden). So technicians installed an UPS to the protected room, so all cameras and DVR are on ups. It seemed the signs started to disappear (nothing for weeks). But last time we were away (at daylight), and we returned, there were again a few minor signs: some paper put to a drawer in the bedroom, and a sponge disappeared in the kitchen. But there is a camera in the kitchen, and also cameras in the two rooms where kitchen and bedroom can be reached! We checked all the recordings and no luck... Even though there are two facts: 1. CCTV cameras were on Motion recording AND in Regular recording mode too, so it recorded everything but divided them to two groups (motion records and regular records). And some recordings (files) are black, but these files usually take up 2-3 seconds from normal time (so we thought it's bug of motion detector), even though their actual video file length is just 1 sec (?). 2. Cameras were put to 5 fps (I now changed it to 25fps), and we tested it and it was possible to trick one camera with fast running in kitchen. But how they could know it was on 5 fps? And how come they took the risk, still? And the camera in other rooms could not be tricked in this way (too big rooms for fast running in short time). Their house is 30m away, and houses are built very close to each other (each with garden, but the fences are shared). Btw we think they starting visiting our house long ago, and when we have been to Spain a few years ago for holidays, it was 3 weeks so they could explore every bit of the house and install anything (even that time, we noticed minor traces, but we didn't think it was intruder). Question 2: also it looks like they are always one step forward compared to us; so we guess they tap and wiretap us. With phone, we hear clicking sounds sometimes, it's a DECT phone so we know it can be tapped. But we think we are tapped. Where should we search for the bugs? A bug needs electrical power, so if its battery is empty, then it doesn't work... so I suppose they connected it to electricity. Mostly we talk in kitchen (90% of time), so I guess it must be there. Is it possible to be inside a microwave oven? That is the only thing we didn't check (apart from the 'usual' oven). I checked tables, lamp, but nothing nowhere. P.S.: we're not crazy/paranoid, just truly unlucky victims of psychopaths, it seems. Any help would be appreciated!! Linda

Also we were thinking to these, but the friend that it's very expensive and if they had used, it would have affected all other houses in the neighborhood too, causing issues with other electrical devices in households etc. http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/login.jsp?tp=&arnumber=6855584&url=http%3A%2F%2Fieeexplore.ieee.org%2Fiel7%2F6847848%2F6855557%2F06855584.pdf%3Farnumber%3D6855584 http://www.newae.com/sidechannel/cwdocs/tutorialglitch.html I'm sorry for partially off-topic post, I know this is CCTV forum, but your advice is very useful, thank you, we have no idea where else to ask.

The "user default logged in with GUI" is normal; we realized it happens after the DVR reboots (default user is itself the DVR). About abnormal shutdowns: the power supply had issues (I suppose this is why its clock had issues). It died a few days ago. We bought a new one, and an UPS as well. We have set camera time properly as well. But power supplies have died surprisingly fast in our house in the recent 4 years. The manufacturer (Paradox) of alarm system will also check the device, because it had very unusual symptoms (gibberish in user interface, alarm activated after accepted PIN code) before we finally turned it off last year. We changed the code of the tags of the RFID entry system as well. (There was no suspicious entry in the log in the past half year, unfortunately.) We were thinking to this, but a friend said it costs $15K to buy such a device, and it's not easy: https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~sps32/ECRYPT2011_1.pdf We shall see what Paradox finds in the early-died alarm system. No, there is no secret tunnel under our house.

[see the screenshot] The issue is still not solved, but after an RFID entry system was installed to the main entrance, there was no intrusion for 9 months. Recently, however, they broke again to our house when we were on holiday. Nothing was stolen, just the usual traces that say: "We were in! We did it again!". As always, video recordings show nothing suspicious (no intruder outdoors). We didn't leave hidden cameras indoors, because we thought the stalking was over (9 months is a long time). I attached CCTV DVR log screenshot. Is this normal that DVR has TimeChanged events? Anything suspicious on the log? Sorry, I'm no expert in this.

It is damn not a hoax. It is still not resolved. Just because it sounds impossible for your life, do you think it cannot happen at all? The alarm issue might have an answer: when the company installed the alarm+camera system in 2012, it took them 3 days. On the first night, half of the system was installed only, and was not armed. The documents of the alarm system were left in a room, so they might have stolen the code (you know the one which the technician uses with a laptop to configure system etc.) But the camera part (= how they stay "invisible" on recording) is not resolved. I just opened a thread about it today, after a policeman gave us a hint. The one who enters our house is someone who wants to harass us. Harassing. See my new thread anyway.

No, the garage is a different building, not connected. Hopefully, the latest time they got in was just some unfortunate accident (some one-time opportunity), and the CCTV+uninterruptible power supply combo stopped them once and for all (+ the additional dual sensors and "optex"-ish stuff that will be installed soon). We're at grandma again, hoping this time the house will stay intact.

this will just be a waste of money. if you want sensors then use beams two transmmiters is all you need to cove all round a house. PIR. work by detecting heat and movement so you will get some bad alarms. Beams need a fisical break. (by the way you cant see the beam) thats just to show you how they work. also were are you based. if you think they have your phone monitored most phone companies have a test number to see if its tapped. in the uk its 1707 i wont give the last number. but this can tell you alot about your phone. and even if they are next door and they have linked to yours you can make that phone ring. Thanks, those beams sound good too. You mention false alarms -- but we plan these dual sensors inside the house (and we don't have cat/mice). So I think they will be OK. (Outside, by the way, there are "wild" cats, I mean cats without an owner, just coming into the garden, then leaving. So they would trigger those optex stuff too, I'm sure, causing a false alarm.)

(FYI: latest posts aren't from my wife, Linda; now I started to write here.) A question: we have relatively old windows, is it possible to enter the house through windows without traces (damage)? Yes, I know we were advised to use tapes to detect it, and we will do so; so just asking. Because we were told that if a window is opened from outside, it leaves physical traces;especially because when going out, they need to close it again from outside. We were advised by a security expert company (not the same one) to use PIR+Microwave, manufactured by Bosch. They say these sensors detect even the smallest movement, impossible to trick. I know that so-called "dead zones" exist for microwaves, and PIR can be tricked too with some tricks. But these dead zones must be part of environment, so the intruder can't just bring a metal thing and hold it in front of himself... And the company also said this type of Bosch sensor is so sensitive that its PIR sensor can't be tricked. So we're thinking of getting installed these sensors everywhere in the house, especially near entrances, and then it will be connected to the same alarm service (security company that does remote monitoring) than the current system. Of course, we would keep the CCTV system as well, and install outdoor cameras as well. Are these Bosch sensors not foolproof? OK not against the Intelligence Agencies, but against a radio/burglary pro? Yes, but it uses WPA2-PSK, and we changed this key some time ago (my cousin is an informatics engineer). It's not written down anywhere, it's stored in KeePass password safe software, in my laptop. My laptop has no worm in it, it has been TrueCrypt protected from the beginning. And another thing: even if we assume they entered the DVR software (Identivision is the manufacturer), the software logs all user logins (at least, currently, my successful logins are visible in the log, and ONLY my logins). And even this software doesn't allow you DELETE any recordings. Based on the above, it seems unlikely that it's a network-based attack. Btw we were a bit vague earlier; to be precise, there were minor signs on the doors/locks, but on almost all doors; it looks like they try to make chaos by damaging everything a bit, but just very small damage so it cannot be called damage "legally", and police is really useless here by the way. So surely it was lockpicking, the question is that now after the CCTV system was installed, how they could do those three minor manipulations (including a change in a drawer in the bedroom, and the bedroom is only accessible from another room and through windows -- both are covered by a CCTV camera).

It's a fact they hate us, not sure exactly why... some unknown thing we don't know, or just our house... we work hard and not that we're millionaires (we would have guards then) but they have a smaller house... but they seem to have good equipment to break to us, so they can't be so poor. We know they have a friend though, and we heard this guy was in prison in France some years ago (not sure for exactly what, but supposedly for burglary and such, and not for violent crimes like murder). So he might be simply a pro who supports these psychopaths to take their revenge on us (for whatever reason). On a side note, cash was also stolen earlier (we didn't use a safe), and the Master's Degree of my grandfather (maybe they deal with forging official papers, diplomas?!) Sorry for bad English btw, we aren't native. P.S.: btw it's just an assumption they use bugs, don't consider it as a fact. It's just that they always knew how to cheat our latest security system (motion detectors, then cctv, then it seems that cctv+ups too, even though they are MUCH LESS signs in these weeks than before, so it seems their possibilities are much more limited). P.S.2: we don't live in the US. I found this forum in my desperacy, it looked like an international forum (sorry if I missed anything).

Thank you. Apart of the main issue, do you think it's impossible to jam a hard-wired CCTV? Assuming he came from roof (to second floor), I think he could access the cable (but not the protected room, DVR, or else!), only the cable that leads to cameras. But there were no physical traces anywhere. Is it possible to jam CCTV by doing something with the cable? I don't think it's a particularly shielded cable, just normal one (which brings signal from camera, and brings power to camera), I think UTP cable. Maybe to put it to a very strong magnetic field or such?

rory: thx, will do. We're sure they enter via lockpicking (as there are no signs), they open the locks, no matter what lock is installed. We checked on internet and indeed there are lockpicking hobbyists opening practically any lock. There are many entrances (3 ones, and very many windows, and even roof), but windows are modern and shouldn't be openable without traces. Btw there were some traces (apparent damage) on locks and doorframe INSIDE the house, but those are old doors somewhat so police surely wouldn't have taken us seriosuly (and think about all the things I wrote: they would think we're mentally ill); so we thought it is just trick (hijacking attention). As I said, they want to annoy us, they want to show us that they can enter the house (even though they never tell it openly). But they always seem to know when we're at home, because new signs appear always when we return from a longer journey. We don't have any friend who we could ask to guard house at night. Thanks. 2 and 3 already in progress. About 4 and 5: as I said, they enter without signs, even though they may be minor lockpicking traces (unless they already made an own key). And sorry to be harsh but this is damn NOT a hoax, it's damn true, and most ppl who we told it were just laughing. Its damn not funny when it happens with your family.