CCTV - IR 'ONLY' cameras ??
 

Discovered we have some scrotes visiting our property in the wee small hours checking for open car doors or anything left in the garden worth pilfering. The thing is, they're clever scrotes, as they know that if they shine a torch into the CCTV camera that it blinds it. They also seem to know where to walk to not trip the security lights. A lot of effort during 4 observed visits with no reward for them so far, but I worry how far they will escalate before giving up on our property as a non-profit organisation.

Does anyone know of an 'IR ONLY' CCTV camera that sees no visible light, as I figure that will scupper their current method of defeating my existing cam ? A torch emits lots of visible light, but very little heat, and LED torches probably even less, so it may give me the evidence I need to involve to Police ?!?!?!

There are cameras like this available, but I got round the problem by flood lighting:thumb:
Got 2 ex warehouse floodlights and when anyone comes in the whole area looks like daylight,
It's so good that one of my hard drives was seized by the police last week for a big investigation that's going on round here:eek:

Jimmy case?

Easier to get some more flood lights up.

Put the lights up so the whole approach is covered and you should be fine, some nice 500watt buggers.

Nearly all IR cameras need a source of illumination, usually a red light, which kid of gives the game away. Which means they will do the same trick. Thieves don't like being lit up like a christmas tree, and visible from space.

Don't really want to light up the planet, or waste a fortune paying for the leccy :( I just figured that a cam that sees no visible light wouldn't be blinded by a conventional torch which emits massive amounts of focussed light, but very little heat. Human bodies should still be visible at 37º, especially dressed in dark clothes as thieves often are due to the nature of their work. An IR floodlight to illuminate the area would I suppose be a good idea.

Already got a 'Drive Patrol' device on the way which is a wireless PIR which transmits to a chime inside the house. I can secrete it all over the place and know when they set foot in its range.

Also heard about a trip wire device which fires off blank shotgun cartridges available from a local gun shop. I'm sure I could add rock salt too ;)

No, the missing vet, unfortunately :cry:

It would be easier to achieve this by using the overt camera as a decoy to lure them in and have a covert or discrete camera out of reach which will capture them as they interfere with the other camera. There are some very good IP rated near-zero lux cameras with black IR LED's and a small condenser mic embedded for under £100.

I will guarantee they have hoods up or scarves around their face, so what gets captured will be of limited worth, unless there is commercial cctv which may catch them where they can be id'd by their clothing once the hoods or scarves are off.

Alarm mines are the shotgun cartridges you refer to. Proximity alarms are useful, but what exactly do you intend to do when they sound - remember your reaction needs to be proportionate to the situation, and the law states minimum reasonable force?

I have this stuff fitted at my home - it is a very good modular lighting system which has internal sounders and triggers for other things.

http://www.gjd.co.uk/

CCTV set up by the weekend DIY'er will not be up to the standard required for police evidence.

I have approach lights with wireless chimes to alert us of movement as well as the lights coming on, but the chimes stopped working last year :brickwall I have a Driveway Patrol unit coming which does the same job, but is battery powered so can be moved easily and without cables should be harder to spot.

As for floods, I "upgraded" my 2 x 250W floods which are on PIRs to 2 x 30W LED floods. They have come down in price a LOT and the light output - IMHO - is better than halogen.

I went for "cool" rather than "warm" white. It really bounces off everything!

For a 30W unit the price is about £25-£30 now - I remember when they were 3 or 4 times that for a 10W!!!

So you can have 8 x 30W units on for about the same electricity cost as a 250W halogen.

I am considering getting a few 10W floods for the garden and just having them come on at dusk and off at dawn. 3 or 4 of them is hardly going to break the bank.

If you are having real problems then I would get an IR beam fitted and hook it upto a buzzer in your bedroom or even a dialer for when you are not at home.

I have been using a set for 5 years now and never once had a false alarm and it works in snow, rain etc etc... if you tuck them out of the way its very difficult to see the units and its almost impossible to get over or under them without setting them off - I have tried!!!

If you hide them - they wont ever spot it and you can then look on your CCTV and see whats going on.

If you are brave you could always walk outside waving a pick axe handle!

Do the police just ignore it all?

Les

An imitation police hat on the speaker shelf of your car normally does the trick lol along with the obligitary box of tissues.

Nice thought, but Most torches also give off light well into the IR range, so I'm not sure it would help all that much.

The basics are hard to beat - good lighting and a gravel drive.

If you have blind spots, the fit more lights and/or sensors.

Gravel is good because it's harder to be quiet.

More cameras in different places may help, but if they are determined then you need to start looking at things like locking bollards , big fences and gates......

my driveway/gardens are lit by ASD Smartfloods 42watts, but the output similar to a 300watt halogen. They aren't the cheapest of floodlights, but they are very robust and well made, with a well designed asymetric reflector - unlike the typical nasty diecast aluminium jobbies. The LED floods are probably a worthy alternative now they've come down in price a bit (seen them on Amazon for £35 for a 30watt single chip SMD unit)

All triggered by a Voltek Securilite PIR system. Basically its a internal sounder and loads of wired external PIRs scattered around to give the best coverage. Nobody can set foot on my property without me knowing about it. Its donkeys years old now, but they still make them and they have the added advantage of using the trigger output to operate a CCTV system to record any events.

I never got as far as the CCTV though....I intended to, but got baffled by the sheer number of different cameras, recorders and their respective prices.