Ways to improve chances of capture theives faces?

Earlier this week, my neighbor's vehicle was broken into. The vehicle was parked across the street @ around 50-60ft from my closes camera and and another camera at about 75-80 feet from another angle. I have a long range IR illuminator that clearly lite up that side of the street but since I used 3mm lense at the driveway, the further one is a varifocal lense but it's also zoomed all the way out to cover my lawn, I could not make out what these guys look like. Also their vehicle was pulled in front of the car, had a had a longer zoom view, I would probably be able to make out their plates as well.

I'm thinking maybe I can add a 2nd camera at each location zoomed in further for additional details and have it triggered by the current camera.

Or if I added PTZ camera, can it be triggered to zoom in where the action is automatically?

dannieboiz said:

Earlier this week, my neighbor's vehicle was broken into. The vehicle was parked across the street @ around 50-60ft from my closes camera and and another camera at about 75-80 feet from another angle. I have a long range IR illuminator that clearly lite up that side of the street but since I used 3mm lense at the driveway, the further one is a varifocal lense but it's also zoomed all the way out to cover my lawn, I could not make out what these guys look like. Also their vehicle was pulled in front of the car, had a had a longer zoom view, I would probably be able to make out their plates as well.

I'm thinking maybe I can add a 2nd camera at each location zoomed in further for additional details and have it triggered by the current camera.

Or if I added PTZ camera, can it be triggered to zoom in where the action is automatically?

Click to expand...

Hi Dannie,

You'll need about 100 ppf to get a good facial ID chance - plus a good angle.

Maybe useful to encourage those across the street to also get a decent camera.

Plan to record continuously to ensure you capture any footage.

The first thing I did after I provided them footages was recommended that they installed cameras of their own and even offered to help since it will too benefit me and the neighborhood. I don't think they'd do it.

We have more than one vehicles so a couple of them gets parked in the street. However, mine is directly in front of my driveway and camera view but it doesn't mean the theives can't be desparate.

All my external cameras are continous record. There were many angles where I wish I had LPR cameras because they drove back and forth twice which again with the proper equipment, I can get their plates.

I'm asking here mainly because this could have been my car.

You could try to find out which angle/lenses are more optimal on ipvm.com calculator. However if I read your story correctly, placing good cams to monitor your own car might not cover the whole street for your neighbors too.
If you are worried about not stealing your car, I can share the following true story: a friend of mine, handy with cars and electronics, installed a "kill switch" underneath the driver seat. Without flipping that switch, the car won't start, even if you would have the key. One day, thieves break in the car, almost destroyed the dashboard because the guy really wanted that car. In the end, out of anger, the thief emptied a trashbin in the car, leaving such a mess that my friend better had the car stolen and recovered money from the insurance.

The unfortunate truth is that positive ID is a crap shoot no matter what you do. Hoodies and hat masks do wonders for them. In the case of stolen cars, the vehicle they show up in is often stolen too or at the very least, has stolen plates. Most often it's a combination of the little things that catch the thief. A big one is the correct time stamp on your system. From that the police can track the perps from other traffic cameras, piecing together the whole route and really getting positive vehicle ID. It helps to be able to identify from your cameras which direction they arrived from and which direction they leave. If your video is clear enough it could identify any markings on their vehicle to help narrow down more than just the make and model of it. Aside from just a crime of opportunity, pros who want your car or rims are gonna get them no matter what you do. All this money and effort we put into this only slightly increases the odds in our favor to catch a thief. It always comes down to a single perfect frame for ID. Roadside, it's very difficult if not impossible. For neighbors, maybe one of your cameras catches the big picture but they need their own cameras to help themselves. Cars close to your cameras in your driveway and cameras getting the best shots possible of anyone trying to enter the access points of your home- that's what you're after. Out there on the streets is another ballgame and more often than not, not worth the money to cover properly, assuming your house is set back from the streets in question.

Rarely will a wide angle such as you have catch an ID. A 2.8mm lens is only good for an ID at about 15 ft or so, in perfect conditions.
If you haven't study this>> cliff notes and read the LPR subject area of this forum.