Break in, sort of

[vector18]

Someone in my neighborhood asked me to check my camera for last nights events. The truck on the left is my SS so when I park it, I focus my PTZ onto it and record if anything happens to it. The guy who approaced me, told me someone broke into his car last night and took some stuff. Now.......I find it fishy that the guy walked right up to his car and just opened the door and didn't go up to any other cars. The guy said to me, he thinks he might have left it unlocked. Does anyone else find that odd? I was not able to play back when he parked his
car cause the PTZ was focused up the block away from his spot when he parked earlier that night. And, in the morning, his wife got in the car and was surprised at something and immediately called someone than drove away. Anyway, here is the video. It's not as clear as I would like it, but keep in mind, it's a 2mp PTZ without IR's and it's in night vision mode.

 

[hmjgriffon]

Someone in my neighborhood asked me to check my camera for last nights events. The truck on the left is my SS so when I park it, I focus my PTZ onto it and record if anything happens to it. The guy who approaced me, told me someone broke into his car last night and took some stuff. Now.......I find it fishy that the guy walked right up to his car and just opened the door and didn't go up to any other cars. The guy said to me, he thinks he might have left it unlocked. Does anyone else find that odd? I was not able to play back when he parked his
car cause the PTZ was focused up the block away from his spot when he parked earlier that night. And, in the morning, his wife got in the car and was surprised at something and immediately called someone than drove away. Anyway, here is the video. It's not as clear as I would like it, but keep in mind, it's a 2mp PTZ without IR's and it's in night vision mode.

Wtf, if anything I would say that looked very targeted, like the dude went after that particular car for a reason. Or for some odd reason they know you have cams and decided to do that to be funny somehow. It feels very much like when I got burglarized, I came home, unlocked the front door and as soon as I opened it and saw the giant TV I had just bought less than a month before, I knew someone got me. I looked up and the back door was open, no forced entry, nothing. We almost always lock both doors so either they had a key, or my girlfriend left the door unlocked, which she has done a few times since, but now I have a hik 2032 just above the back door covering the porch. But it's like, how did they know the door was unlocked, did they come back there and check every day? It's so fishy, I don't think she is in on it or anything but WTF, this is why I will forever more have every part of where I lived being watched by video surveillance until the day I die.

 

[vector18]

I definitely would say that this is fishy, but in the past 6 months, two other cars have had items missing and both owners have a feeling they left the door unlocked. I cannot imagine walking
away from any of my cars with the doors unlocked EVER, but I guess everyone is different. This is a dead end block and a quick get away into the wooded area. I'm even more confused because when I sent this video to the owner of the car, he says, oh well, I can't really see the guy and I do not recognize him anyway, but thanks for the effort.

 

[hmjgriffon]

I definitely would say that this is fishy, but in the past 6 months, two other cars have had items missing and both owners have a feeling they left the door unlocked. I cannot imagine walking
away from any of my cars with the doors unlocked EVER, but I guess everyone is different. This is a dead end block and a quick get away into the wooded area. I'm even more confused because when I sent this video to the owner of the car, he says, oh well, I can't really see the guy and I do not recognize him anyway, but thanks for the effort.

Ditto, locking the car door is reflex, and I don't usually have anything in there worth taking. Some people get robbed enough times they start to not really care anymore. I've been robbed once, the recent time, and I am trying my damnest to make sure it never happens again. But then I am not the type to take anything laying down.

 

[vector18]

I immediately said to my wife if I play back the video and I saw someone trying to open my truck, I am staking out over night and catching this guy myself. Something about

touching my own property triggers the evil within!

 

[Shockwave199]

It's easy enough to forget to lock the car door. I have to hit my key fob to do it and although it's rarer than rare, I forgot to lock it once or twice after having my arms full of groceries or whatever. But I am super careful and don't really forget to lock it, especially having cameras and knowing it's the number one thing they try for. For crooks it a numbers game and an opportunity if someone leaves the car open. That guy looks surprised to find it open and since he spent a while rummaging and maybe even getting a score, he split. My guess anyway. Just goes to show, cameras only do so much and catching something just right can be more luck than anything.

 

[icerabbit]

It is interesting the guy only walked up to the toyota cuv and then did not move down the line to the sedan afterwards. Maybe he was just going down the line from farther away down the street, had a good catch and decided to turn back? Hard to say.

Crime can be completely random or targeted.

I lock our vehicles 99.9% of the time. Same with windows, doors, garage door. But it is easy for it to slip once in a while (I had one garage door open the other night, even though I know I closed both at the same time an hour earlier).

A few years ago, I had toll cash stolen from my van and the passenger compartment rifled through, when I had left my driver side unlocked curbside overnight. Similar to the case seen above. Learned months later that it was a neighborhood kid who'd tried all the cars in the street that night. One neighbor just about caught him in the act and saw him running into his parents house. While I reported the issue to the police, the other neighbor didn't, so the dots were never connected till months later.

Recent events in our neighborhood have led me explore ip cameras. It really seems like crime is on the rise. Our neighbors have been hit. And from time to time you see a car in your driveway ... pulling up the wrong house, turning around. Typically it is an older person needing directions, but once in a while you see somebody back out 300 feet without ringing the bell or asking questions. You don't see them pull up to the neighbors right after (missed by a driveway, happens (like the pool guy confuses my neighbor and I)) and you start to wonder. Same with the dudes randomly coming to offer services for painting, washing, ... selling magazines, selling meat. Color me a bit paranoid but I see it as a guise to scope out targets.

So, like many here, I want start recording movement, just in case.

 

[camwhore]

I hear ya. Going down this road for exactly the same just in case reasons as you Icerabbit. I know far too many people who've been victims and closed the stable door after and I'm determined not to be one of them.
Having a shared access to the back of our properties with 2 other neighbours means we have an unsecured entry point and good cover from the street at the back for any ne'er do wells who may happen to be roaming the area looking for a target. Just the single cam I have at the moment provides me with so much peace of mind that I find it quite astonishing. Dying to get the next one in place!

 

[Kenjusticejr]

like I tell my friends and family...cameras do not keep a thief from taking something, but as long as they don't find my remote hard drive that holds the data, i'll record them until they unplug my computer.

 

[hmjgriffon]

I hear ya. Going down this road for exactly the same just in case reasons as you Icerabbit. I know far too many people who've been victims and closed the stable door after and I'm determined not to be one of them.
Having a shared access to the back of our properties with 2 other neighbours means we have an unsecured entry point and good cover from the street at the back for any ne'er do wells who may happen to be roaming the area looking for a target. Just the single cam I have at the moment provides me with so much peace of mind that I find it quite astonishing. Dying to get the next one in place!

Damn right, they got me, and the first place I put a camera was in the livingroom so at a bare minimum I would know the instant something happened. I honestly thing the bull terrier I got 3 days after I got robbed has probably been a bigger deterrent than anything. Cameras are nice but that dog will send you to the hospital unless you have a gun or something. Next camera went to the back porch where they got in. It's right above the door but in a spot where if you walk up to the door or the window next to it, you're really close to the camera and it's got an awesome shot of you. When they got me there was no sign of forced entry, the back door was just open, and I know my girlfriend sometimes forgets to lock the door, it amazes me though that the door would be unlocked on the day they decide to hit me but that's another story I suppose. Those two cameras (and the dog) give me so much peace of mind. Will cameras stop someone from getting me? No. Will they guarantee the person is caught? No. Do they greatly decrease my chances of being robbed again? I think so. Also, if someone does rob me, I will know instantly, I currently deal with a lot of alerts from the living room cam because of the cat and dog but I'd rather that than someone get me and me not know it. Knowing someone is breaking in allows me to call the police, who could be blocks away, not to mention the sub station not too far from my house, it increases the chances they will be caught in the act, and decreases the amount of time they have to try to steal things. Not to mention as I am on the phone with the police I will be in my car driving like a bat out of hell from work and I recently got my concealed carry license so if I beat the cops there, and you are still in the house, it will be your last robbery, because I will not shoot to maim.

 

[icerabbit]

I agree that a camera will not prevent all crime, just like an alarm system will not, because a determined person figures they have at least few minutes and/or can cover their face.

But, I'd wager that it will have some deterring effect along the lines of: mmmm, motion lights come on, it says they have an alarm system, I see a camera here and there, doors appear locked ... Looks like these folks are serious. Maybe this one is too hot. Let's try the next house.

Of course, if they are really after something they know you have (fancy car, loads of cash, art work, antique coin collection, ... ) or the person is super desperate (on drugs or in withdrawal), then all bets are off.

That's what happened to several of my neighbor's about a month ago, both were home during the attempted break-in / home invasion at night, and the perp stole a car a few houses over (and I believe wrecked it) Literally random luck that my house was skipped.

Just last weekend an SUV like mine was stolen a bit down the road at night and in an accident after the police saw them run a red light (or failed to stop) and the driver tried to get away from the police. No other details given relating to how they got the car, as it was primarily a report on the accident and bulletin for the driver who got away on foot; but knowing the vehicle has a digital key, is most unlikely to be left unlocked and it being night time, I'd bet that was another home invasion to get the key, use the vehicle for whatever purposes and trash it.

Anyhow. I think in the whole scheme of things a camera system gives a bit of piece of mind that
a) you will help prevent some incidents
b) hopefully will have something useful on video after an incident. At least in the daytime. Night time is tricky.
and
c) get the best chance possible of any perpetrator getting identified
even if they didn't hit you, but maybe walked past your house, before walking off and hitting up the neighbor.

Plus some comfort of remotely checking in from time to time.

Combine that with some motion lights, a driveway alert, ... and alt-tabbing on the computer or tablet to live view when the driveway alert goes off or when you hear some noise ... and you know whether you should jump out of your recliner or office chair or not. Note: I typically jump up anyhow. LOL.

In my case it is probably 80% wild life, 19% USPS/FEDEX/UPS/Electric/etc and the 1% " unknown individual or car " which I'm after.

 

[hmjgriffon]

I agree that a camera will not prevent all crime, just like an alarm system will not, because a determined person figures they have at least few minutes and/or can cover their face.

But, I'd wager that it will have some deterring effect along the lines of: mmmm, motion lights come on, it says they have an alarm system, I see a camera here and there, doors appear locked ... Looks like these folks are serious. Maybe this one is too hot. Let's try the next house.

Of course, if they are really after something they know you have (fancy car, loads of cash, art work, antique coin collection, ... ) or the person is super desperate (on drugs or in withdrawal), then all bets are off.

That's what happened to several of my neighbor's about a month ago, both were home during the attempted break-in / home invasion at night, and the perp stole a car a few houses over (and I believe wrecked it) Literally random luck that my house was skipped.

Just last weekend an SUV like mine was stolen a bit down the road at night and in an accident after the police saw them run a red light (or failed to stop) and the driver tried to get away from the police. No other details given relating to how they got the car, as it was primarily a report on the accident and bulletin for the driver who got away on foot; but knowing the vehicle has a digital key, is most unlikely to be left unlocked and it being night time, I'd bet that was another home invasion to get the key, use the vehicle for whatever purposes and trash it.

Anyhow. I think in the whole scheme of things a camera system gives a bit of piece of mind that
a) you will help prevent some incidents
b) hopefully will have something useful on video after an incident. At least in the daytime. Night time is tricky.
and
c) get the best chance possible of any perpetrator getting identified
even if they didn't hit you, but maybe walked past your house, before walking off and hitting up the neighbor.

Plus some comfort of remotely checking in from time to time.

Combine that with some motion lights, a driveway alert, ... and alt-tabbing on the computer or tablet to live view when the driveway alert goes off or when you hear some noise ... and you know whether you should jump out of your recliner or office chair or not. Note: I typically jump up anyhow. LOL.

In my case it is probably 80% wild life, 19% USPS/FEDEX/UPS/Electric/etc and the 1% " unknown individual or car " which I'm after.

I haven't had anyone try to mess with the place while I am there but that is why I got the concealed carry permit, and once I get the gun, I'll probably load it up with these. http://g2rip.com/ If you do not have a dog, I would highly suggest one, I love my dog and don't want anything to happen to him, but if someone breaks in my place it won't just be cameras, there will be active defense of the property and he has razor sharp teeth. You can cover your face all you want it won't stop the dog from ripping a new hole in your butt.

 

[Shockwave199]

Good lord, another paranoid conceal owner with some great bullets for maximum damage. Don't get me started. :numbness:

 

[gordo]

Good lord, another paranoid conceal owner with some great bullets for maximum damage. Don't get me started. :numbness:

I agree! In that same vein, anyone with ip cameras, especially ptz cameras, are voyeurs and peepers. If you don't want to defend yourself, when someone is kicking in your door,that's ok with me.

 

[Lebeter]

I'd have to agree, I'm sorry that you got robbed as its a very unsettling ordeal to go through, but considering taking someone's life is really only something you should poised when your own life is in danger. Shooting people over stuff is just as mindless as stealing stuff. Stuff is stuff and people who steal things don't have any ethical standards. They are simple self serving fools feeding off others. That doesn't mean that going around half cocked ready to shoot anyone that looks at you wrong is going to benefit you. It will only draw you into a bad situation which may end with you also on the losing end. There are many methods to mitigating threats without feeling like you have to go on the internet and beat your chest. If you enable a thief to turn your life into a daily occurrence of festered paranoia, the thief has done more damage than just stealing "stuff." If you want to use your camera system to hunt down thieves, trust me it won't be any fun going through the courts and the time it will take away from your life experiencing that wreckage of a system to get justice. Usually the thieves don't have much to begin with so recovery of any losses is small, and winning a judgement only gets you a chance to have their wages garnished (they usually don't have a job) or send some collection agency who will take 60% of the recovered settlement if its ever recovered. It's a waste of time and I found the best thing is to just keep these toilet dwellers out of your life period.

 

[camwhore]

Wise words indeed!

 

[alphawave7]

I agree! In that same vein, anyone with ip cameras, especially ptz cameras, are voyeurs and peepers. If you don't want to defend yourself, when someone is kicking in your door,that's ok with me.

I'm a voyeur!



As property ('stuff') can be replaced and upgraded, a cam is perfect tool to prevent or capture the moment and suspect, but only fear for life warrants the use of deadly force in most of the US.
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/S-F-family-of-man-killed-by-neighbor-calls-for-5461277.php

 

[Shockwave199]

I probably should apologize- not for my opinion, but having said it. Note to self- don't post when you're in a crappy mood. This isn't really the forum to debate gun carry, per say. And everyone has a story about why they have cameras in the home. Mine is that I am my own central station over night, looking over my property for my wife while I'm working all night. It gives both of us a sense of being that much more safe and able to respond should there be a crisis or even a medical emergency she may have while I'm away. I have questioned my level of paranoia many times along the way though. You do get caught up in this. It gets spurred on at those times when you do catch something or nearly catch something or worst of all robbed- like a grand cat and mouse game that you MUST be better and better prepared to win. So you get better cameras, more cameras, door alarms, window alarms, ptz's, dogs, cats, guns, on and on. It seems to me that we put ourselves in a perpetual state of readiness, and it can be all consuming and down right tiring. And in our thing with cameras- expensive too. It is fun though. If it weren't rewarding I wouldn't be on forums shooting the breeze about it. It's fun. And if it can be useful, all the better. But it's a high probability that no amount of readiness or gun toting is going to make the right outcome. Criminals have the best thing on their side- the element of surprise. If you have yourself a canon in your closet but they hit you while your dozing off in your recliner- you have a problem. Cameras may or may not be of any use at all, mega pixels be damned. You do what you can though, but at a certain point you just have to live and let it go. I made it 47 years never having CCTV cameras or guns as part of my world. Now I get the shakes if even ONE of my cameras are down. If I have internet interruption, I all but freak because I can't see the CAMERAS. I just try and keep things in perspective now, that's all. And to this day, I'm gunless. I've often wanted one, but I've made the choice not to have one. My wife surely would have shot me by now anyway! :rapture:

 

[vector18]

I think shock needs a hug

 

[Shockwave199]

LOL. You got a ptz with arms? :shame: