# Trail Camera For Property Surveillance?



## Gardengroove (Feb 13, 2012)

It happened again! Someone got into my property and broke both doors of two small cabins I got there. Besides there wasn't stolen anything of value this time I have to fix my doors again. This kinda sucks!! It wasn't the first time - In 2007, 2008 and 2010 there also were burglaries: They stole a hifi equipment, a leaf blower from stihl and different tools in the past. I have also bigger equipment like lawnmowers, a motorized lawn trimmer and a standby generator there which are chained up inside the cabin and secured with a lock. I have to do this because I don't want to take my tools everytime I go to work on my property.
As I am so fed up right now I thought to get a trail camera so that I can identify the burglers when it happens the next time. So I have a few questions:
1. There are cameras on the market which claim to have a "totally invisible black flash". Is that true? Worst thing would be of course that the burgler notices the infrared diodes at night and steals the camera










2. I plan on conceiling the camera inside the bigger cabin so when the door opens there will be a photo taken. How much distance do you need at least for such cameras to the target?
3. I also could install it at a certain height in the trees around the cabins. It would be impossible for the burglers to take the camera unless they aren't tree climbers lol. But the problem with that is it will be a pain in the ass for me to check the pictures from time to time. Also the cam would take a lot more pictures because of animals and us peoples when we have a party at my property for instance.
4. Most cameras claim to operate half a year with just one batch of batteries. I doubt that. What are your experiences?

Here are a few pictures of the property:








Blue boxes are the cabins. As you can see they can come from everywhere
















Damage done this time. I thought to leave out the locks from now on. Perhaps then it isn't too attractive for them anymore.








Nothing better than a good campfire









Cheers, Simon


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## Btoon84 (Nov 22, 2011)

Man! Some ppl really suck. I don't have much experience with trail cameras but what about setting up some motion detector lights. Or even a small alarm inside the cabin. Some cheap door alarms might be helpful in keeping them away once they start messin with your door... How far are you located away from your property there?


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## Rayshot (Feb 1, 2010)

Technology has come a long way. I just finished a flooring job for a guy who installs all kinds of home systems (security and non security) that can even be monitored and controlled remotely.

I know with what he showed me there is something that should suit your budget and the way it works. It may not be what he typically uses but there is a lot of options out there. You will have to look around at the options.

Best to you in finding something, the thieves and prosecuting them!


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## Gardengroove (Feb 13, 2012)

Hi Brandon and Ray! Problem is I need some independent surveillance system because I sadly have got no electric hook up on my property. The city would charge 5000 bucks for a installation as the next connection point is a few 100 yards away from me. That is impossible to afford for me.
I am about 3 miles away from my property (at parents home) and about 80 miles where I do study and work for the week. We are on the property just from spring - autumn and mostly on weekends.


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## Btoon84 (Nov 22, 2011)

Hm, some simple systems run on batteries. I know the magnetic type door alarms just use a little battery. Other more advanced systems like the ones Ray speaks of might work if you could set up some sort of solar power. But that seems like a lot of trouble. A no trespassing sign or beware of dog might even work... Could be the same ppl doing it over and over....


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## Gardengroove (Feb 13, 2012)

Btoon84 said:


> A no trespassing sign or beware of dog might even work...


 Good point, but we had all this before. At the main gate which is sightable from the walking street we even had razor wire compared with the things you mentioned. This didn't help much. I also have assumed that it's the same people over and over. So I think I need some device to capture the face(s) of those assholes.
The last time they first broke into cabin 1 took a spade from my tools there and tried to break cabin 2 which is harder to get into. The spade blade got bent so they took a pickaxe from my tools and crushed it open. I asked the next "neighbours" which are about 1 mile away and nobody heared anything. It always happens in autumn-winter times. When the leaves fall off the trees the two cabins are sightable from the walking street.
It could be plain anybody. Someone who knows us, some gypsy folks or kids who have fun to destroy things....
To be honest I hate all kind of surveillance systems, but I see no other possibility to catch those people elsewhere.


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## Btoon84 (Nov 22, 2011)

I feel for ya, it sounds like a little battery op trail cam would be your best bet then. Perhaps if you could snap their pic without them knowing (like with the invisible flash thing you mentioned) you could then show it to the authorities. They could even run it on the local news and ask if anyone recognizes them! Make sure the camera has the right amount of megapixels to capture the detail of their dumb faces...


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## Imperial (Feb 9, 2011)

too bad you aint got electricity. theres a lot of systems that you can just wire up and use your computer to view live feed . i feel for you, good luck on catching the criminals .


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## Adirondack Kyle (Aug 20, 2012)

Harbor freight sells dummy cams for a few bucks, also, battery op motion detectors	, Exactly a year from today, my house got broken into, and someone stole ALL my kids xmas presents along with everything worth anything in my house, still recovering, it was terrible.
Take precautions


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## Btoon84 (Nov 22, 2011)

OMG kyle that is awful. so sorry to hear that. some people are just plain rotten!


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## Gardengroove (Feb 13, 2012)

That hurts @Kyle. What kind of precautions have you made since it happened?
I have purchased a game camera last week. It is very small, so I can get a good spot to conceal it. Not yet sure where to put it exactly. I will have to do some testing at the weekend. It's one of the midrange cameras. I paid about 200$ for it. This is the Doerr Snapshot with Blackflash and 5MP sensor. In the US they run under the brand Scoutguard.







It says the camera ha standby time of 6 month with one batch of batteries (8xAA), which I doubt. Good thing is that the cam has a 6V input for an external power source. I think I am going to get me a big 6V rechargeable battery for that matter.
Here is one testshot I did at my parents living room last Friday. Everything was pitch black. I lured one of our cats there and the cam took a picture. Distance from camera to the wall is around 8 meters. I think the flash does a decent job at night. I hope the get a few faces soon with that camera
















Cheers, Simon


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## Btoon84 (Nov 22, 2011)

The quality of the picture is pretty darn good. I would think as long as they weren't covered up, that you'd be able to get good shots of their faces. Good luck with keeping your place secure!


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