Trying to help a pensioner with cctv

ethan · 13 Jul 2014 at 23:44

Will a car camera such as a E-Prance GSW1 serve as suitable cctv security for a pensioner, who doesn't want to present an observable cctv system situated on the outside of her house? I'm thinking of suggesting the above since the GSW1is reported not to suffer from infrared glare usually associated by cameras operating through glass. (It's a car dash camera).

[FnG]magnolia · 13 Jul 2014 at 23:51

What is it for? Is her house secure?

ethan · 13 Jul 2014 at 23:52

[FnG]magnolia;26602427 said:
What is it for? Is her house secure?

To point out from her bedroom window in the direction of her car.

Third Opinion · 14 Jul 2014 at 00:07

What a bizarre recommendation for CCTV.

A car camera fitted to a home chosen because it will have no visual deterrent. What is the purpose of the camera? To be a nosy neighbour or they are expecting crime?

Are they going to be watching it all day and night or recording it?

A very poor thought out suggestion of CCTV in my opinion.

[FnG]magnolia · 14 Jul 2014 at 00:08

Is this to make her feel more secure or to be a meaningful aid against/after a burglary happens? It's unclear what you/she are trying to do here.

asim18 · 14 Jul 2014 at 00:33

ethan said:
(It's a car dash camera).

I'm not sure you've thought this through enough.... If someone breaks in then steals the car they will take the evidence along with them.

Also, is it battery powered or lighter socket? Does her car provide power to the socket with the engine off? Or will she be bothered charging it every night?

ethan · 14 Jul 2014 at 00:36

Third Opinion said:
What a bizarre recommendation for CCTV.

A car camera fitted to a home chosen because it will have no visual deterrent. What is the purpose of the camera? To be a nosy neighbour or they are expecting crime?

Are they going to be watching it all day and night or recording it?

A very poor thought out suggestion of CCTV in my opinion.

(1)There is no such thing as a visual deterrent where she lives. If the local vandals see or become aware of a camera they simply hide their face in a hoodie. She has just bought a new car and is simply worried about it being vandalised and the perpetrators getting away with it.

(2) Who watches a camera all day?

(3)Fair enough but in the light of the two points illustrated above I would disagree taking into consideration what has been said in point 1.

Is this to make her feel more secure or to be a meaningful aid against/after a burglary happens?

Both if it were suitable?

I'm not sure you've thought this through enough.... If someone breaks in then steals the car they will take the evidence along with them.

The camera would be discretely placed in the facing bedroom window.

bitslice · 14 Jul 2014 at 00:43

You can turn off the IR lights on conventional cameras, but without an external light source (like under a streetlamp or a PIR halogen), and at what is going to be a distance of maybe 10m, you aren't going to record anything of use.

Need more site detail

ethan · 14 Jul 2014 at 00:46

bitslice said:
You can turn off the IR lights on conventional cameras, but without an external light source (like under a streetlamp or a PIR halogen), and at what is going to be a distance of maybe 10m, you aren't going to record anything of use.

Need more site detail

Yeah. Distance from bedroom and car would be about 6-8m. A motion detector halogen would help with the visibility.

bitslice · 14 Jul 2014 at 00:51

I'd hang a birdbox near the window and hide a bullet cam inside it,
then mount a PIR light somewhere overlooking the car.

In fact if there is anything in the garden that could conceal a smarties tube, then the closer the better (especially at night because all contrast is wiped out).

If only car damage is an issue, hide a car cam inside the car pointing at the pavement, you might catch a suspect walking by if the light is good enough

ethan · 14 Jul 2014 at 00:54

The bird box plus a PIR is an idea or something similar concealed amongst the ivy she has growing on the wall.

bitslice · 14 Jul 2014 at 01:07

The other line of thinking is using a camera with 945nm LED lighting, either on the camera or as a secondary light.
It's outside the visible spectrum, so not as noticeable (although cheaper ones look faintly violet)

Destination · 14 Jul 2014 at 08:07

Can you mount cctv cameras in a hidden manner without a sign to notify that cctv is in use?
I thought there were rules about such recording.

bitslice · 14 Jul 2014 at 08:13

Hikari Kisugi said:
Can you mount cctv cameras in a hidden manner without a sign to notify that cctv is in use?
I thought there were rules about such recording.

Only for businesses,
Doesn't apply to domestic use, so you can point it at your car in the street, just not at your neighbours bedroom window.

Destination · 14 Jul 2014 at 08:26

I thought you could point it at your car if your car was on your drive, rather than public property or land without notification, and its sweep patterns must not encompas private property of your neighbour?

As I said I am not certain on the specifics.

bitslice · 14 Jul 2014 at 09:28

Hikari Kisugi said:
I thought you could point it at your car if your car was on your drive, rather than public property or land without notification, and its sweep patterns must not encompas private property of your neighbour?

Pointing at your car in the street is fine because you have a reason to do so.
If it overlooks a neighbours property then you might have to give a reason why this is unavoidable (if he complains). Likewise doing it to annoy is a reason to complain.