To catch a (car) thief: Motion activated, 950nm, quality DVR

[brycenesbitt 0]

Most nights someone cruises our neighborhood, apparently, checking car doors on the street and in driveways. Any car left unlocked gets riffled through. And on occasion the entry is a bit more forced. I'd like to catch this person or persons on tape.

 

The street is urban, well lit by streetlights, so these people can easily go unnoticed (they don't need flashlights or anything conspicuous). A neighbor reports that putting up fake security cameras apparently stopped the problem in their driveway. I'd rather catch the person.

 

I can run power or even video wires to several possible camera locations on my property, including under the eves of a tile roof, within 10 to 50 feet of the car. But I'm concerned that the red glow will give away the location of the camera and someone will either steal the camera or avoid the area. I also see a lot of made-in-china junk in this category of products, and I'd rather spend 50% more on something that will work well and last.

 

Any recommendations?

 

I'd be willing to put something inside an unlocked vehicle, if I was convinced it had a good chance of not getting noticed and stolen. "Bait" could be some sunglasses or loose change.

[cglaeser 0]

The street is urban, well lit by streetlights, so these people can easily go unnoticed (they don't need flashlights or anything conspicuous). A neighbor reports that putting up fake security cameras apparently stopped the problem in their driveway. I'd rather catch the person.

 

I seriously doubt that fake cameras has stopped the problem. It is extremely difficult to get night surveillance video with sufficient detail to solve an auto burglary. It may deter the occasional auto burglar but most won't care. If you want to catch an auto burglar at night, then in addition to quality surveillance cameras you should also add a motion alarm that alerts you when someone is in your driveway. I've had great success using this setup. In fact, I've had such great success that officers and detectives from the local police department routinely come to my house for tour of my setup. I use Optex outdoor PIR but the Crow DareDevil PIR receives good reviews as well.

[brycenesbitt 0]

Hmm, but these thieves work when I'm asleep. Given the number of false alarms in urban environment, no way would I be willing to be woken up to check the driveway.

 

How about a vibration/tilt activated camera inside the target vehicle?

I see a lot of cheap made-in-china junk: does anybody stand behind one of those?

Is there one without the red IR glow?

Edited December 2, 2013 by Guest

[cglaeser 0]

Hmm, but these thieves work when I'm asleep.

 

Well, it's extremely unlikely you will catch anyone, but if you install high quality surveillance cameras, you will be able to post videos of them laughing at you.

[Kawboy12R 0]

If your PIR is set up correctly and matches your driveway, odds will be very good that you will get very few false alerts. If it is happening EVERY night and is one person doing it, then guess what? You've got good odds of catching the jerk the first night. It is VERY easy to catch someone who is predictable.

 

Even three cameras would be good- one up the street, one down the street, and one zoomed in on your car. Something along the lines of a CNB VCM-24VF vandal dome would be a passable analog solution. Sees 940nm quite nicely, decent in low light with no IR, doesn't have or emit any IR by itself, and resists tampering with anything less than a baseball bat. Analog domes are slow to install, aim, and focus properly though unless you've done a few and have a screen right at the camera for instant feedback or someone else at the DVR assisting you.

 

One GOOD hi-def network camera will cost less than a good dvr (cheap ones mangle the video that they store with low colour depth) and a few decent analog cams with low-light capability and no built-in IR (or high end enough to be able to turn it off and use external 950nm illuminators). Run the network cam from your computer with the free software that most come with and you're golden. Hide a cheap driveway alarm or two pointed right at your doors for near idiotproof alerts and you're good even if you fall asleep with a pot of coffee that first night. I'm partial to Axis P3364VE cameras for night work, but the LVE version has IR built in just in case you want to use built-in IR. There are inexpensive 940nm floodlights available on Amazon.

[cglaeser 0]

If your PIR is set up correctly and matches your driveway, odds will be very good that you will get very few false alerts.

 

+1

 

Install a quality PIR and test the setup so that it generates virtually no false alarms. I use the Optex outdoor wireless PIRs so I can mount them anywhere.

[brycenesbitt 0]

Hmm. I'm not sure it's every night at my address, just frequently in the neighborhood.

 

With something like DBN-24VF, there is a "motion detection" feature in the camera. Can I use that to review the "good stuff" in the video, without needing the PIR and the coffee pot?

 

And is there a camera with built in 950nm "no red glow" LED's?

[Kawboy12R 0]

You should probably use the motion detection built into whatever DVR you'll be using if you've got analog cameras. Ignore the camera motion detection option. It won't make your TV go DING DING DING if there's motion and no DVR hooked up to it. With analog, the DVR does the video motion detection. With no PIR, unless you're working at short range (5-10 feet or so), most video-based motion detection will give you tons of false positives from the lights of passing cars, wind in the trees, shadows from trees day or night, fog, rain, bugs, spiderwebs, etc etc, especially on cameras with built-in IR. EVERYTHING close to the cam glows enough to set off the motion detection unless you've just got it set to detect buses and elephants. That's not a bad thing if you want a more complete record, but astronomically increases the time you'll have to spend reviewing footage trying to catch someone. Built-in IR also tends to blind a camera during fog/rain/snow events at night. Cams using external illumination give a better picture under those conditions.

 

Very few cameras have built-in 940nm LEDs. They're not as bright as 850nm (visible red glow) LEDs, so they're suited only for closeup work unless you've got a LOT of them and supply a relatively high amount of power to the camera. The high number of LEDs make for a big camera which tends to cut down on the "stealth" effect. With a smaller camera and a bigger illuminator away from it, most people (if they can see it at all at night) will just think the illuminator is a floodlight that isn't turned on. Samsung used to offer some cheap bullets with 940nm but I'm not sure if they still do. Don't expect much for illumination unless you've got lots of LEDs (ie an external illuminator) or limit your expectations to maybe ten feet or so. Search Amazon for CMVision for some cheaper 940nm illuminator options.

[ssnapier 0]

There is am American company called Axton that makes some excellent stuff. There is also a Russian company called MicroLight that makes plenty of stuff in the range you are seeking. Either one will come with a great warranty and will be a product that does what it is advertised to do. As for the PIR, I have no better advice than what has already been given.

 

You could also possibly setup a motion tripwire tied to a siren and or a white light (spot light on the driveway?) as a deterrent too. I would rather scare a guy off then catch him in the act to be honest, but having both options ready to rock will ensure that if he does go ahead with the bad guy stuff he is at least recorded doing it.

[brycenesbitt 0]

No sirens please: if I scare the guy off he'll just hit the neighbors.

 

Sounds like my best option is a standalone 950nm flashlight, combined with a relatively low lux analog camera, perhaps with a PIR connected to a clock for recording the times of possible events. Then perhaps each night clean the door handles with a soapy rag, to leave a nice clear spot for any fingerprints to be found.

 

Is there an available IR illustrator (800nm or 950nm) which looks like a conventional flood lamp?

[buellwinkle 0]

Maybe an IR illuminator that has a regular light bulb base?

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LED-IR-illuminator-IR-bulb-940nm-10W-invisible-light-for-cctv-camera-E27-/171176468026?pt=US_Surveillance_Gadgets&hash=item27dae99e3a