My Security Video Sent a Home Invader to Prison

JDJ

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Note: Barring this one lucky incident, my current cameras are not very helpful (beyond 20 feet) in the day, and worse at night.

A few years back I bought my off-the-shelf security camera system, nothing special, and maybe six weeks later the police informed me there had been a break-in next door. Someone had busted through a neighbor's window, encountered a resident inside, and thankfully just fled without harming anyone.

I reviewed my video, and what I saw made my blood run cold. A man had aggressively approached our back door while my wife and I were both inside. He stopped suddenly, glared at the camera, and left. The deterrent effect had spared my wife and myself from a home invasion experience, whatever that might have been.

It puzzles me that the cameras were enough to deter him from our home, but not enough to prevent him from breaking into another house 60 seconds later knowing there was now video evidence.

He was close, and the bright morning provided clear face shots. When the detective saw the video he recognized him. It was one of those great moments where the dice roll your way. Even that hard ass detective almost smiled. He had this guy dead to rights.

He eventually got thrown back in prison for the better part of a decade thanks to good luck and bad criminal judgement.

Since then the local criminals have been more typical. They prowl at night, trying car doors, stealing anything they can. The reports I see on the Nextdoor app show that they usually don't get much, but on occasion they score something like a trailer with tools they can drove off with.

Then there are the creepy reports such as a female home alone who heard her doorbell ringing aggressively sometime after midnight. She had a doorbell camera, and observed an unknown male standing at her front door. This stranger patiently waited, with God knows what intent. She called the police but the man was gone when they arrived. He got close enough to the doorbell camera to provide a decent image, but the police didn't recognize him, and he hadn't committed a crime so nothing more came of it. It might have been a mistaken address, who knows? But a good video system could have provided much more information, such as a license plate and multiple high-definition face images.

Then there was a recent nighttime prowler on my property who brought home how worthless my cheap cameras are.

It also got me thinking about the fact that a nuisance criminal is one impulsive thought away from becoming a home invader, and a home invader is one impulse away from…?

My new video system (currently in the planning stage) is going to improve my day and night capabilities exponentially, and will be able to provide clear face pics, maybe license plates, day or night.

I intend to post before/after pictures to show the differences in picture quality between my current budget cameras and the quality cameras I will be buying.

This forum is helping me zero in on exactly what I need. I hope my experiences will allow me to provide useful information to others in the future.
 

looney2ns

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Thanks for sharing @JDJ .
Bad guys aren't the sharpest tools in the shed.
A good home alarm system is a must have. One that is very LOUD.

Harden your entry doors with something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Prime-Line-Products-10385-Accommodates-Centers/dp/B00D2K33NG/ref=sr_1_20?ie=UTF8&qid=1540574346&sr=8-20&keywords=door+security

On the door hinges, replace one screw per hinge with a 2.5-3" long screw.
Doors are easily kicked open otherwise.

Have a plan in the event of a home invasion, practice that plan until you can do it in your sleep.
 
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JDJ

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I would be interested to know more about what you learned from your experience.

Assuming you are happy after your final upgrade, what cameras, added security lights, etc., finally did the trick?

Thank you.
 

Parley

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I went with Hikvision 3mp and 4mp cameras with a 1/3" sensor when I first got into IP cameras. Also 4 Huisun PTZ cameras. They were all fine during the day time but suffered at night. Then I upgraded to 2mp cameras with a 1/2.8" sensor advertised as starlights or low light cameras. Either Dahua or Hikvision. These were a nice step up from the cameras with 1/3" sensor. Night time vision was much improved. Now I have replaced a number of those with cameras that have either a 1/1.9" or 1/1.8" sensor. These are again better at night time than the ones they replaced. I still have some of the Hikvision and Dahua cameras with the 1/2.8" sensors in the back of the house for the yard area. They do the job, so I will leave them there for the time being. It is the front and side of the house with the street area that I felt needed the better cameras. A whole lot more activity going on there plus license plates. Hahahaha
 
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JDJ

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I went with Hikvision 3mp and 4mp cameras with a 1/3" sensor when I first got into IP cameras. Also 4 Huisun PTZ cameras. They were all fine during the day time but suffered at night. Then I upgraded to 2mp cameras with a 1/2.8" sensor advertised as starlights or low light cameras. Either Dahua or Hikvision. These were a nice step up from the cameras with 1/3. Night time vision was much improved. Now I have replaced a number of those with cameras that have either a 1/1.9" or 1/1.8" sensor. These are again better at night time than the ones they replaced. I still have some of the Hikvision and Dahua cameras with the 1/2.8" sensors in the back of the house for the yard area. They do the job, so I will leave them their for the time being. It is the front and side of the house with the street area that I felt needed the better cameras. A whole lot more activity going on there plus license plates. Hahahaha
This is very helpful. Like you, I need license plate quality cameras on the front and side of my house viewing the street in the dark, so it's good to know about the 1/1.9" and 1/1.8" sensors that worked for you at night.

Last summer my neighborhood had two egging incidents in the middle of the night. I caught both on camera, but the footage consisted of lights and shadows. I'm not really concerned about teenage pranks, but it highlighted the fact that my footage wouldn't help if something serious happened, and that concerns me a lot.

Thank you for the information.
 

Parley

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Those cameras with 1/1.8" and 1/1.9" sensors are not specifically set up for license plates even though they very well could be. I wanted them for general purpose use and they will see license plates of parked cars at night and sometimes moving cars with the lights on if the conditions are right. I have posted those from time to time. They are my best cameras for getting faces at night. Much less ghosting. I have one more camera to upgrade that watches a street on the East side of the house. It is not bad, so no rush but I want a little more from a camera in that location. It will be a camera with a 1/1.8" sensor.
 
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looney2ns

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This is very helpful. Like you, I need license plate quality cameras on the front and side of my house viewing the street in the dark, so it's good to know about the 1/1.9" and 1/1.8" sensors that worked for you at night.

Last summer my neighborhood had two egging incidents in the middle of the night. I caught both on camera, but the footage consisted of lights and shadows. I'm not really concerned about teenage pranks, but it highlighted the fact that my footage wouldn't help if something serious happened, and that concerns me a lot.

Thank you for the information.
Be sure to read the LPR subject area of this forum.
 

KB18

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Those cameras with 1/1.8" and 1/1.9" sensors are not specifically set up for license plates even though they very well could be. I wanted them for general purpose use and they will see license plates of parked cars at night and sometimes moving cars with the lights on if the conditions are right. I have posted those from time to time. They are my best cameras for getting faces at night. Much less ghosting. I have one more camera to upgrade that watches a street on the East side of the house. It is not bad, so no rush but I want a little more from a camera in that location. It will be a camera with a 1/1.8" sensor.
Can I ask whats the camera model(s) with the 1 1/8 sensor that you selected?

I am also looking at improving my night setup.

Thanks
 

KB18

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Yeah thanks i started just doing a general search and have found a few models but still trying to lock down what people here have used in person and actually like.

Lol ive purchased to many cameras and had to learn lessons that hard way.
 

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I am using both Dahua and Hikvision. The Dahua is model number IPC-HFW8232E-ZE 2MP and comes with a 1/1.9" sensor and Andy stocks this one. The Hikvision is model number DS-2CD4A26FWD-IZ(H8). It has a 1/1.8" sensor. It comes in a number versions and I purchased the cheapest version as I do not need all the gizmos. Hehehehe This cameras works very well. One is reading a storing license plate numbers.
 

KB18

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Parley thank you for the product numbers.

I was looking at the DS-2CD5A26G0-IZHS as it wasnt too pricy.

Does your Hikvision DS-2CD4A26FWD-IZ(H8) support H.265 with the latest firmware? On the product page it lists h.264 but not h.265 which is odd as it looks like a newer camera.
 
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Parley

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The DS-2CD5A26G0-IZHS looks like a decent camera. I did not know about that one. The other one I mentioned you can also get the 8-32mm lens and that is the one I ordered for my situation. Looks like neither are available in 265. The 265 format does not seem to work with my NVR even though it is rated for it. However I do have an early version. With 10TB of memory it stores a little over 6 weeks of video with 8 cameras hooked up in the 264 format.
 

KB18

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Like you this will be the 3rd time I am upgrading my camera in hopes of better night time performance.

I just want a camera that can capture well enough to do identification at night. My current low light 1/2.8 sensor 3mp cam is much better than my 4k cam it replaced for night time but I still don't feel it's good enough for positive ID unless the subject stands still (ie if they are walking there is too much noise in the image to be ID worthy in my opinion).


Parley would you say your current 1/1.8 or 1/1.9 sensor cameras are good enough at night to do positive ID while a subject is moving (for instance walking up your driveway to pull yout door handle)?

I went ahead and placed an order for a 1/1.8 hikvision (most of my came are hikvision) but it's a special order so it'll take a bit.
 

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I am using both Dahua and Hikvision. The Dahua is model number IPC-HFW8232E-ZE 2MP and comes with a 1/1.9" sensor and Andy stocks this one. The Hikvision is model number DS-2CD4A26FWD-IZ(H8). It has a 1/1.8" sensor. It comes in a number versions and I purchased the cheapest version as I do not need all the gizmos. Hehehehe This cameras works very well. One is reading a storing license plate numbers.
@Parley

I am currently looking at both the Hikvision DS-2CD5A26G0-IZHS and the Dahua IPC-HFW8232E-ZE and was wondering what were your thoughts on the ones you have? Which one do you prefer over the other?
 

Parley

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I find that the Hikvision is slightly better with moving objects at night such as people walking by. However there is a price difference and you have to ask yourself is it worth the extra money. I have 3 of the above Dahua's and have not replaced them. They work well in the area that I have them mounted. I have replaced the Starlights that have the 1/2.8" sensor with the Hikvisions that have the 1/1.8" sensor. As for know I am keeping the cameras I have until the 4K cameras improve at night and then I will start a replacement program.
 
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