help with motion detection webcam software to catch a thief

[luvemfast]

About 3 weeks ago, my car and my wifes car had stuff stolen from them. my MP3 player and my 2 year old daughters portable DVD player were taken from our unlocked cars while under the carport 20m up the driveway next to the house.

Last night we discovered that the 4 day old replacement DVD player was stolen again after my wife forgot to lock the car ONCE.

I take it that the theif is not "lucky" enough to choose the right night to do it. I think that they have been coming and checking our cars EVERY night, waiting for us to slip up.

 

I have had many scenarious run through my mind, most would get me in trouble with the law.

So the only one that would work is to set a webcam up inside the house pointing at the cars with motion dectection software.

I was thinking that infa red would be best too.

Want to catch them before they take the next step into break and enter, house, cars or garage!

Anyone had any experience with similar?

[FuzzyDropbear]

Depends on how much you want to spend, but at work we use motion sensor equipment to capture people doing things they're not supposed to be doing  . Works quite well, but you need to spend a few $$$ ie: $500 min to get game-spy camera with infra-red sensor that will produce an image that will be good enough to ID the person.

[Zedman240®]

Simon, I had a thing here where I work with people dumping rubbish next to our factory. Bought a 4 channel DVR card that plugs into a PC for $18 from ebay in Hong Kong, a good CCD camera from the computer swap meet for $38 with audio and infra red plus an extra infra red floodlight for $60 and a crappy PC I had to run it all (motion detecting software came with the card) some extra cables etc and one night caught the "gentleman" dumping stuff. Only bad thing though the car headlights made it hard to read the plate but I saw his ute. Sometimes your lucky if it has specific markings but unlucky this time. So for about $120 you can setup something.

[620Z]

Zedman is on the money. Put up a motion detecting light and a camera. I had problems with my neighbors and that fixed my problem. Along with a couple confrontations. Ha Ha. You won't need the camera motion detectable. Just leave it on recording in a loop.

[sco_aus]

get yourself into night mode, some mates around and catch him, your digital vision wont stand up in court because it can be modified easily, his lawyer will get him off on that.  They need to be caught red handed and i mean caught... Get your story straight with your mates...

[V8Datto]

Your other option is a sensor flood light to light up the area where your cars a parked. You wont catch them, but It should keep them away

 

You will find it also helps when you come home at night.

 

If you already have a sensor light I'd be more worried about your house,

[S30Mike]

Hey this reminds me of when my Asus mother board came with all these cool extra programs and webcam.

 

I set it up outside my window and had this program installed which allowed me to adjust sensitivity and what not on the webcam.

 

It was pretty awesome to play jokes with, if the alarm was triggered the computer would sound this world war 2 like air raid siren EXTREMLY loud haha.

 

And im certain it scared off a few petty theifs while i was there.. such a bad house it was.

 

Maybe get something similar so when the siren goes off you will definatly know about it.

 

This thing worked damn well in pitch darkness as well mind you, thanks to the senstivity tweaking you can do the slightest movement no matter how dark it is would set it off.

[luvemfast]

I have toyed with an electric fence, rabbit traps and even like what they did in Empire Strikes Back, when the Ewok's had the logs that swung down when a trip was set off.

But I have settled for a couple of sensor light's, moving the dog kennel nearby (2 very strong staffies), webcam and I will set a tripwire connected to a car battery and car horn. Was thinking of also arming my car (with car alarm) and unlocking it with the key, the alarm goes off when you open the door.

 

And finally, every now and then. I'm going to turn all of those off, leave my wifes car unlocked and wait inside the garage (mirror tinted sliding door). They want to have no lights on in the car (my car interior light stays on, so they ripped the light out of the roof), so they must shut the door behind them.

BAM, I can deadlock the car, trapping them inside. They have 2 choices, wait for the cops or try and get out with me waiting outside to take them down!

As you can see, I have been thinking about this all day.

[S30Mike]

I'm going to turn all of those off, leave my wifes car unlocked and wait inside the garage (mirror tinted sliding door). They want to have no lights on in the car (my car interior light stays on, so they ripped the light out of the roof), so they must shut the door behind them.

BAM, I can deadlock the car, trapping them inside. They have 2 choices, wait for the cops or try and get out with me waiting outside to take them down!

As you can see, I have been thinking about this all day.

 

This is elite. I would so do that.

 

There probably some shit head kids who think there top shelf.

 

Show them they have another thing coming!

[Mr Camouflage]

Home security doesn't have to cost anything.

 

I have a dedicated computer that's set up to run zoneminder (www.zoneminder.com). It watches the driveway and front door.

 

Cost: 50 cents for the 2 web cams I bought at a swap meet, plus an old p3 800mhz computer I picked up for free.

 

Can be tricky to set up though, if you don't know anything about installing linux

 

While I was away on holidays I also had the home (windows xp) computer running Yawcam. Not the easiest to use program around, but it did the job.

 

There's another one called Dorgem which is easier to use, but less features.

 

You'll need motion detection sensor lights to light up the area for the webcam to see anything, unless its an IR webcam.

 

 

 

 

[Zeddophile]

I have toyed with an electric fence, rabbit traps and even like what they did in Empire Strikes Back, when the Ewok's had the logs that swung down when a trip was set off.

But I have settled for a couple of sensor light's, moving the dog kennel nearby (2 very strong staffies), webcam and I will set a tripwire connected to a car battery and car horn. Was thinking of also arming my car (with car alarm) and unlocking it with the key, the alarm goes off when you open the door.

 

And finally, every now and then. I'm going to turn all of those off, leave my wifes car unlocked and wait inside the garage (mirror tinted sliding door). They want to have no lights on in the car (my car interior light stays on, so they ripped the light out of the roof), so they must shut the door behind them.

BAM, I can deadlock the car, trapping them inside. They have 2 choices, wait for the cops or try and get out with me waiting outside to take them down!

As you can see, I have been thinking about this all day.

 

Well, if you are going to sit and wait for them anyway, may as well keep a video camera on you, and keep the staffies by your side.  Once they've been locked in, RELEASE THE HOUNDS!  That should discourage them from getting out!

[luvemfast]

Well, if you are going to sit and wait for them anyway, may as well keep a video camera on you, and keep the staffies by your side.  Once they've been locked in, RELEASE THE HOUNDS!  That should discourage them from getting out!

Maybe one of those gopro hero camera's strapped to my head 

Seriously, anyone who has staffies would know that they wouldn't make good attack dogs. Their bark is much worse than their bite. I was actually thinking of feeding them pal and locking them in the car too! Absolutely rotten farts, awsome