Preventing cartheft/breakins

There's regular spectrum illumination out there, but it's rather dim at night. What you're seeing is a combination of the camera's IR LED array and what little visible light is out there. For example, with visible light, you can't see much over that fence at night - but as you can tell, the camera can see a fair ways over that fence.
 
Yeah, IR cameras make use of any source of light that's in their range. And I'd be hooking up a similar system if I were living in a house and not some apartment building
 
I'm living in an apartment building - I just got the owner's permission to hook it up at my own expense, that's all. My neighbors don't mind the system being in place either.
 
Having one's own private surveillance system with obvious cameras and posted signs warning of instant armed response from the resident seems to help too.

I have several cameras set up as well. The cops were not thrilled when I filed a complaint against one of their detectives for turning around in my driveway and running over my damned bushes.

"How do you know what unit number it was?" "The decals are reflective and show up nicely on IR cameras *plop printouts on desk*" .... "We'll take the appropriate actions. Thank you for letting us know."

They still come up here every night and turn around, but that's alright so long as they manage to STAY IN THE DRIVEWAY (they're looking for the neighbor lady's fugitive son).
 
Yeah, my new place has security cameras, including audio. It looks over my private parking spots and the back alley, which has garages and parking spots for about 15 other houses. It's pretty brightly lit and there are signs posted. Still working on setting up a system that will record the audio & video together whenever something of interest goes on.

Using IR is an interesting idea..... I'll have to look into that.
 
True, but it seemed to work for me.

Also, I drive a manual transmission, you'd be surprised what a deterrent that is.

:lol: You serious? "ooohhh look an unlocked Corvette in a dark alley.... oh no, it has....a clutch! and a... shifter! You mean i have to tell it when to change gears?":mrgreen:
 
:lol: You serious? "ooohhh look an unlocked Corvette in a dark alley.... oh no, it has....a clutch! and a... shifter! You mean i have to tell it when to change gears?":mrgreen:

Well the problem with the Corvette is that you only need first gear.
 
Well, there's your solution. Simply make your car so complicated to operate that nobody could ever figure out how to drive it (if someone manages they are allowed to steal it though).
 
Is theft such a big problem overseas? I assume if you park in a well lit area in broad daylight there wouldn't be anyone their who would mess with it.
 
Is theft such a big problem overseas? I assume if you park in a well lit area in broad daylight there wouldn't be anyone their who would mess with it.

Theft is a big problem everywhere. Some places are worse than others, of course - and as the world economy sinks deeper into the morass, the problem will only get worse.

A good example of how nobody is safe from theft anywhere:

*Machine guns stolen from SWAT van*

April 23, 2007

Memphis police were looking Monday night for the thieves who stole seven weapons from a North Carolina SWAT team van parked in South Memphis.

Members of the SWAT team based in Raleigh, N.C., were eating at Interstate Bar-B-Que, 2265 S. Third, about 3:30 p.m. Monday when they realized their van had been broken into, said Lt. Jerry Gwyn of Memphis felony response.


Taken were three machine guns, two semi-automatic handguns, and two 12-gauge shot guns, Gwyn said.

The officers, who were traveling from Raleigh to Little Rock for training, noticed two thieves driving away in a burgundy Ford Expedition, Gwyn said. A video surveillance camera also caught the thieves in action.

"We?re concerned with getting these guns off the street," Gwyn said. "We have a lot of folks working on it right now."

The theft was reminiscent of a heist in 1997, when thieves stole a Little Rock FBI team?s Suburban. Inside the SUV were grenade launchers, M-16 rifles, submachine guns and other potent weapons, which were found after an intense three-day search.

Those thieves broke into a police vehicle in a well lit public area in broad daylight, knowing there were police around. If thieves are willing to do that, then your own personal vehicle stands no chance.
 
Those thieves broke into a police vehicle in a well lit public area in broad daylight, knowing there were police around. If thieves are willing to do that, then your own personal vehicle stands no chance.

I don't know - even lowly thieves like challenges - i guess they risked more to hit a high-profile target like a SWAT van than they would risk to get into Joe Sixpack's everydaymobile.
 
I don't know - even lowly thieves like challenges - i guess they risked more to hit a high-profile target like a SWAT van than they would risk to get into Joe Sixpack's everydaymobile.

http://www.sunad.com/index.php?tier=1&article_id=14644

Law enforcement investigating vehicle burglary spree

Law enforcement investigating vehicle burglary spree

Print Page Email Page Get Reprints

Advertisement
Castleview Hospital Web Babies

By CHARLES MCMANUS
Sun Advocate community editor

Automobile burglaries have risen nearly 300 percent in recent months as Price city police officers work to combat a rash of crimes that has stricken the local area.

"We need residents to start locking their vehicles because this problem is not going to just go away," stressed Price Police Chief Aleck Shilaos. "The assailants seem to be targeting purses and we have yet to have a case where the vehicle was locked when the crime occurred. About two months ago we saw a huge jump in purse snatching and we don't necessarily know what is fueling it."

The crimes are not only increasing in Carbon County. According to the Price City Police Department, theft and burglary reports have climbed significantly across the state.

Price police arrested David Depue and booked the suspect into the county jail Nov. 16 on vehicle burglary and criminal mischief charges.

However, local law enforcement officials have indicated that there are most likely several perpetrators involved in the related crimes, citing that there were local vehicle burglaries while the suspect was incarcerated.

Price Det. Susan Hyde confirmed that Depue was arrested on three counts of vehicle burglary.

If the suspect is charged separately in connection with the incidents by the city or county attorney's office, the defendant will most likely face misdemeanor category charges.

However, if the crimes are combined into one case, the total dollar amount involved in the incidents will likely increase the charges to felony level counts, pointed out Hyde.

Burglary of a vehicle is initially defined by the Utah criminal codes as unlawfully entering an automobile or truck with intent to the commit a felony or theft offense.

While the local police officers continue to work toward apprehending the suspects in the crimes, the authorities urge local residents to exercise as much caution as possible.

"Please do everything possible to safeguard your property," said Hyde.

The Price police detective recommended that residents:

?Keep vehicles locked at all times.

"Even if you are only running into the store for a second," said Hyde.

?Take purses and wallets into stores when leaving a vehicle.

?Never think that putting a purse under the seat is safe.

If an individual is forced to carry something of value in his or her car, the person should keep the item in the trunk at all times.

If at all possible, Carbon County residents should leave all valuable property at home, advised Hyde.

?Try to park in a well lit, populated area.

"Additionally, please inform the police immediately if you see someone trying car doors," emphasized the Price detective. "We were tipped off by one resident but the area was right next to a school and by the time we got there school had been let out and there were 50 people who fit the description of the individual described in the call."

The suspects have been smart in the manner in which they have committed the crimes so far, Hyde.

The Price police detective indicated that, after most of the burglaries, the purses have been recovered with everything left inside except for the individual's cash.

"They are not attempting to use someone's identification for identity theft purposes or buy things with credit card, they only seem to be after the cash," explained Hyde.

While some of the crimes have random aspects and there may be several assailants, there are some reported similarities in the crimes.

"One of the suspects reported that they were reportedly targeting more valuable vehicles," explained the Price city detective. "He had hit a laundromat and had gotten into a General Motors Yukon Denali, Ford Explorer and Cadillac Escalade."

According to Hyde, there have also been similar crimes committed at Big Moe's, Wal-Mart and Maverik.

"They seem to be targeting the downtown area" said the police detective "And they are brazen. A lot of these crimes have been committed in broad daylight with people around."

For those individuals whose purses cannot be recovered the effects can be devastating far beyond the loss of money.

"One individual who had their purse taken lost all of her identification, 20 credit cards, her and her husband's checkbook. She said it was like her and her husband didn't exist for two weeks while they reported everything stolen and went about the hassle of obtaining new forms and cards," explained Hyde. "She told me that she had sat down and figured the expense of going to all the agencies and all the trips she had to make and it cost her more than a $1,000 to get her life back."

Local law enforcement officials have made two additional arrests involving purses that were reportedly left in shopping baskets due to the aid of surveillance cameras in the area.

According to the department, police are currently following up on several leads and, with due diligence from local residents, hope to get a better handle on the situation soon.
 
^ Heh, reminds me of a quote in Generation Kill.
Espera explains that if he were writing a memoir of his days as a car repo man before joining the Marines, he would title it 'Nobody Gives a Fuck'. According to Espera, the ideal place and time to repossess or steal an automobile is a crowded parking lot in the middle of the afternoon. "Jump in, drive that bitch off with the car alarm going -- nobody's going to stop you, nobody's going to even look at you" he says. "You know why? Nobody gives a fuck."
 
^ Heh, reminds me of a quote in Generation Kill.

Pretty much, yes.

Though I wouldn't advise it in Texas. Eventually you will get caught by a vehicle owner, who will then proceed to shoot you. Legally.

Burglar Shot by Owner of Truck He Was Breaking Into 6/25/09

Beau Berman
CBS 7 News
bberman@cbs7.com
June 25, 2009

Odessa, Texas -

A burglar is in jail tonight after he was shot by the owner of the truck he was breaking into and apprehended by police.

It was the latest in a string of attempted car robberies at the Woodlands Apartment Complex where the shooting took place.


After a series of attempted car break-ins management here at the woodlands apartment complex told residents to contact police if anything else was going on. The other night one resident did just that but not before shooting and detaining a would-be burglar.

"Pow pow pow... just like that".

Tony Lynch ran out of his apartment only to find a bleeding man on the ground.

"This is a really nice neighborhood. This is a real nice complex and it was a shock to me", said Lynch.

Police say a resident fired two rounds at two would-be burglars... hitting one in the ankle.
Neighbors say it wasn't the first burglary.

"The managers have put notes on the doors saying that everybody should be aware that we've been having some problems with breaking into vehicles", said Lynch.

Vandalism hit this resident.

"Pretty upset. You have to go back and re-do everything and fix it up".

After the break-in and shooting one witness tells us the gunman said he didn't mean for it to go off. So was this an accidental shooting or did he take "don't mess with Texas" a little too seriously?

"They kind of deserve it for breaking into a car", said Ryan Dominey.

"Would you just let them break in? I would end up shooting them too" added Ryan Dodd.


Either way... it's legal under Texas Penal Code 9.42.
 
Last edited:
Cars Over here are stolen for 2 reasons :


a: spare parts on the black market , as in any models we got lots off driving around
b: export to the former eastern block, mostley anything german

solution? buy something that's very rare over here, nobody wants and russian 'businesmen' puke on, and my stereo is worth about 5 bucks after many years of loyal service :p (works fine though)
I actualy leave the keys in it half the time.....
Yep parts are certain one of the things auto thieves here mostly go for. Although often they might just take the parts and leave the remains of the car. Although having a car that has a poor reputation for easily being stolen seems to be another one. During my first month at this job, a majority of the stolen car claims were Dodge Neons.

Partially why I love the way my car looks is it just looks so old and the fact its not a Camry means at first glance it looks like an awful target. To most people its a car they've never heard of. Nobody wants my stock stereo either...its just a cassette player that looks complicated to use. That said people don't seem to want to steal my dad's Avalon either, its one of the least stolen cars in Canada. Maybe thieves don't like big Toyotas.
 
Top