Car Door Checker-This Is Getting Old Folks

[LittleBrother]

Motion detection lights are also a good way to stop this sort of silliness. You'll need to test to make sure that the jolt of bright light doesn't flood out the camera and make everything look terrible for a few seconds, though; i.e. you may find that the camera does best kept in day mode, and then you rely on the camera. They seem to detect motion better due to the PIR motion detector.

But seriously, I would do the sign post. Anybody walking by in the future will think twice about going for your cars. Although you may get yahoos who put a mask on and throw rocks just to feel special.

 

[Illya_Kareoke]

LittleBrother, this city has a bad gang problem. Even though my cam is visible if you look close enough, I still don't really want to stick out like a poster in my yard. One thing I like about the Foscam is the dark color blends with my dark siding. I installed 45w incandescent pointed down and adjusted the sensor. I'm sure you know BI had brightness and contrast settings but I'm not sure how it effects the auto adjust. I guess I'll adjust down a couple of ticks and see what happens tonight.
~

 

[badmop]

Here is part of my routine to prevent issues with randoms, which I don't have that problem. I'm lucky though.
But if you get predictable, people know your schedule. So at random times turn on an outside light, or an inside light for a little while. Turn it off, if your up at 2am turn on a light that people can see and leave it on for half an hour. Don't get in a routine of the same thing over and over, people learn that and know when you are home or not, awake or not. Try to be random and people will most likely move onto another person's home.

 

[djangel]

I installed one of these Honeywell 7-Day Programmable Timer switches for my front porch light and it works great. You can easily set it up for different times/dates to turn on/off as desired.

 

[fenderman]

I installed one of these Honeywell 7-Day Programmable Timer switches for my front porch light and it works great. You can easily set it up for different times/dates to turn on/off as desired.

Along the same line, this is my go to timer...it offers the abiltiy to turn on/of the lights based on sunrise sunset so you dont waste power. You simply have to enter your geo coordinates...requires a neutral wire.
http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-Econoswitch-RPLS740B-Programmable-Switch/dp/B004AP92N2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1441684543&sr=8-1&keywords=honeywell+timer

 

[Larebear]

I use a HA system (VeraLite) to randomly control lights when I'm away from home using Scenes. My front garage lights turn on automatically at dusk and turn on at dawn and are controlled with Vera. Motion activated lights also help the cameras mounted on my garage. Combining home automation with IP security cameras works very well.

 

[erkme73]

I second the Vera setup. I was using the Lite and recently upgraded to the Edge. I have my outdoor lights with regular 60W LEDs (use 10W each when on full). Vera tells them to come on to 10% at sunset and stay on all night. At sunrise, the turn off. If my garage door or front door opens, they go to 100% until both are closed.

When I catch a kid trying to get into my car (always the following morning), I make it a point to call the local non-emergency police number and ask if there have been any reports of car break-ins. I let them know that I have video of someone trying to get into my vehicles, and they're welcome to it. In each case a detective contacts me, and I send them a YT link. If they find it useful, they'll pay me a visit, at which point I give them a CD with the full resolution export from BI.

Just because they didn't victimize you doesn't mean they weren't successful with one of your neighbors. And your evidence (including potential fingerprints) could be the break they need.

 

[badmop]

That's some great info!! /\