Remote cameras

[kyle4501]

Hi all,
I'm in need of guidance concerning a security camera system.

I have 2 buses parked on my dirt (~75 miles from home) where they cannot be seen from the road. You have to be on my land to see them. All was fine until recently when someone decided to vandalize them. They were very efficient at breaking the unobtainium glass.

I want to know who is doing the vandalism so I can choose the best way to respond (family vs friend vs A$$hole nobody likes anyway, etc)

I have bought a 'Game Spy' hunting camera to try (infra-red thermal motion triggered camera that stores immages on a memory card.) The problem with this is if the vandal finds it, I'll loose the data along with the camera.

Anyway, what I want is a way of having 1 or 2 cameras feeding immages to a remote storage device (via wireless) so if the vandal finds the camers, the images are still safe. I have searched the 'net' & gotten really confused (it doesn't take much). Has someone done something similar to this?

Electricity is ~1000 feet away, the game spy motion detection is only good for ~30 feet. A greater distance will allow safer location of the cameras.

Any suggestions? other than getting rid of the buses & getting a life?

Thanks,
kyle4501

[H3Jim]

800-720-0779   http://www.surveillance-spy-cameras.com/?ref=spyman.us

I have an issue with thieves breaking into cars and aprts at a property I own.  I called these guys and they were very knowledgable and very helpful about what I need to capture their faces and lic plates.  their prices onteh web seem competitive.  His general comment about wireless systems was they are sill not very good.

Good luck!

[Len Silva]

I can't help with the camera but I would have a battery and/or solar powered electric fence charger wired to the bus.  Of course then I'd want the camera just so I could watch.

Len

[Dale MC8]

I have no idea where I heard it, but a few years ago I read of a camera kinda like a 'nanny-cam' that could be accessed via the internet. (Seems to me that it was featured and/or advertized in FMCA's mag.) Idea being that absentee owners could check on their homes while on vacation.
HTH
Dale MC8

[H3Jim]

Most of the recording cards you get for a PC, to record the video, come with software so you can access the video through the internet.  The trick is to get the signal from the camera to the recording / internet device.  The most reliable way is through hardwired cable.  The other solution is with wireless connection.

[kyle4501]

I was there Monday, & that is when I first saw the busted glass. I went back tonight (160 miles RT). The little scumb bag has been there since my last visit & succeded in launching a rock thru the windshield.

There is still one more windshield, so maybe it will return to throw another rock or two where the camera will catch them in action. I found a fire extinguisher that was removed from one of the buses, discharged & tossed in the woods. Maybe I'll get lucky & there will be some valid finger prints that the sheriff can get.

I found a spot for the camera that I think is good. I'll go back early Saturday morning to download the pictures & see if I got anything.

I'll let ya'll know.

N3Jim, thanks for the link. Good stuff & great people. Looks like I may take that $$$ & put it towards a building to park them in!

Len, I like the way you think!

Dale, The nanny cam that I have found needs an internet connection which is not available there.

Keep the good ideas coming

[FloridaCliff]

Kyle,

A buddy of mine was having stuff stolen at his hunting camp.

He set up TWO game cameras, one visible and one hidden near each other, they saw the flash and stole the one easily visible, they

didn't realize the second one had there picture on it. 

He sacrificed one camera, but they got caught.

Just a thought


Cliff

[kyle4501]

Good idea,

I'll look for a cheap one to put on "display".

Keep the clever ideas coming guys, I need all the help I can get!

Kyle4501

[gumpy]

Northern Tool has a fake video camera for about $10.  It has an LED light on it and takes a couple small batteries. Looks real. The light flashes, I think. It might even turn from side to side. 

Might consider mounting one or two of these in a conspicuous place, and make sure the perp knows that you've been putting in monitoring equipment. May be enough to keep them away.


On a related note, I have had some issues with some people in the neighborhood. Have had some vandalism of vehicles, mailboxes, etc. I have a couple large rocks in a flowerbed next to my driveway. One is flat, and as I tended the flowers, I would removed small stones from the bed, and just placed them on the flat rock. Over the last couple years, I've accumulated several stones on this big flat rock.

Earlier this spring, I noticed all my small stones were laying on the grass. Thought this was odd, and picked them up and put them back on the rock. Next day, they were all on the grass again. This went on for a couple weeks. Initially, I thought it might be my outdoor kitty playing with them, cause she sleeps in the flower beds. So I added a much larger rock to the smaller ones. Sure enough, it was knocked off the next day, along with all the smaller ones. Wasn't the kitty. I was now sure it was someone doing it intentionally. The area is next to the street and is not visible from the house. My family said I should just move the stones, but it became a challenge to "catch" the pertetrator.

So one day I turned my bus around and set up my video camera inside pointing out the windshield. I set up two VCRs on timers so I could get 12 hour coverage. I ran the thing all night. The rocks didn't move.

On the second day, having not succeeded in capturing anything, I rewound the tapes and started them over. The stones were still in place. Ten minutes later, I was mowing the front yard and looked over to see that the stones were laying on the grass!  Huh? I was in the front yard. Nobody had passed on the street and nobody was in sight, but there they were, laying on the ground! So, let's see what we caught on tape.

I rewound the tape and started playing it on fast forward. My wife and I were watching intently, waiting to see the person we were sure was intentionally sabotaging our flower garden stones. Now we were going to get him.

When the culprit appeared, we both burst out laughing. There on the screen, we saw our little 4 year old neighbor boy come bounding up to the big flat rock, and with one sweep of his little hand, he pushed all those little stones to the ground, turned around, sat himself down on the big flat rock and surveyed his kingdom with satisfaction. 5 seconds later, he bounded away!

Little did we know we had been putting our stones on his throne!

Of course he wasn't throwing rocks through out unobtanium windows. I hope you catch him and can make him or his parents pay for the damage.

[kyle4501]

I talked a fellow busnut into riding down to check the game-spy camera this morning. His wife asked 'what is he gonna do if he sees his wife throwing the rocks?' Darn, I hadn't thought of that......

It took a picture of my Aunt looking at the damage, but the punk has not returned. So the camera worked at taking pics of anyone approaching the bus, but has a very limited range of what will trip it.

I put up NO TRESPASSING signs advertising the hidden surveillance cameras & described the bus as a classic, not junk.

Someone advised me to get a repair estimate & police report # then take it as a deduction on my income tax....... That may be all the reimbursement I'll be able to get.

I left the game-spy in place & will check it in a couple of weeks for new evidence.

Now I'm resigned to build a barn for them - Hey, who doesn't need more shop space!

When given lemons, make lemonade.....If you have the sugar. (or you can't find the punk throwing lemons!)

Thanks for all the good ideas & support.

kyle4501

[Christyhicks]

Well, www.x10.com   and www.smarthome.com are both interesting sites anyone might want to visit.  They have lots of info and lots of cool gadgets, including cameras, recording devices, software, etc. 

Sorry to hear about the damage, sure is sad when someone is so bored or asinine that they will tear something up like that.   It would be a good idea to report it . . .you never know when someone else may have been or will be experiencing a similar problem, and information the police have might help.  Also, if eventually someone is caught doing something like this , the knowledge that they were likely responsible for more damage than just one isolated incident may influence the eventual punishment .  Christy

[NJT5047]

Unfortunately Kyle, they are going to break into your building before it's finished.  The evil doers will steal your building material faster than you can build the place.   You're going to have to move out there.  You cannot secure such things these days.  You get the perps...their family comes back and burns everything...just the way it is.    Unless you live there...you cannot  protect your property. 
Hunting cabins have become "motels" for A$$holes.  Used to be able to leave anything in cabins...not any more. 
Norm E's bus broke down in Charlotte...once seeing where it was parked I advised him that someone oughta stay with, or in, the bus...or it was going to be broken into....took three days...  They took tools, batteries, TVs...but did not vandalize the coach...that makes him lucky...this time.   As far as I know, the coach still is not repaired.  I need to call and get an update.
Society has changed from when I was growing up...actually I'm still "growing up" ...but? 
Good Luck, JR