Small camera

[BruceBowker]

There have been discussions on cameras for cars before but perhaps this is a slightly different situation.

 

Use - catch gas thieves in a small parking lot at night. I can get better lighting for camera if necessary. (brilliant lights do not deter)

 

Must be small enough that they can't easily see it and steal it by breaking the truck window. Gas is not stolen from this truck. Too difficult.

 

Must plug into cigarette lighter or use 12 volt system.

 

Self recording for at least 6 hours and not use much battery. Would be nice if it only recorded with movement.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks

Bruce

[S1Steve]

Hi Bruce,

Forget the small camera, how about a Big Dog on a chain. Then you drive around looking for the guys missing a leg. LOL

 

Good luck, Steve

Edited August 5, 2010 by S1Steve
crappy typer

[locost7018]

How about a Claymore and a trip wire? Oops my military is showing. Russ

[BruceBowker]

I would like to do both suggestions (seriously) but...

[turboeric]

No help with the camera, but a real life success story at catching theives. My son in law is a mechanic at an International Trucks dealer. They had problems with diesel being stolen from trucks parked outside. They got surveillance footage of the thieves, but never enough detail to nail anyone specific. Last year they had a truck in that had its entire fuel system disassembled. Taking advantage of this, they parked it outside, filled the tanks with water and added a bit of diesel to float on top to make it look and smell right.

 

Sure enough, the next morning there was a truck stuck nearby whose engine wouldn't run due to having a tank full of water! He had a motorized siphon rig that the cops were most interested in. Don't know whatever happened to him, but the combination of the siphon, the video footage and the tank full of water would have been pretty damning. Not to mention having to flush his entire system! Poetic justice.

[WestTexasS2K]

You can buy a DVR recorder with four cameras runs on 110v pretty decent camera with decent lens. We set these up in my father in laws apt complex laundry room where the machines are always being broken into.

[BruceBowker]

turboeric and westTexas. Thanks for your ideas. Some more details. I have 8 cameras but they can not reach the parking area without a great deal of problems. The cars are rental so filling one with water will not work. I wanted to leave a container out filled with super gas like nitro but I can't get it here. Myth Busters have shown sugar gas does not really do anything so that is out. If I am to leave out a container for them to steal and use I want their engine to blow the head right through the hood.

 

Small camera is the only easy way at this point. Just wanted some ideas of a good one.

[Off Road SHO]

Here is the Oregon Scientific action camera, but it has a monitor in the back that would give off a glow at night. http://www.oregonscientificstore.com/oregon_scientific/sf_sub.asp?mfgname=Oregon+Scientific&store=1&set=16_wcos

 

And here is a bullet camera mounted on the roof rack of my buggy, but feeding into and being recorded on a normal Sony HandyCam behind the driver's seat. Here is the camera link: http://www.dinodirect.com/1-3-SONY-CCD-Color-420TVL-0-01Lux-CCTV-Wired-Bullet-Camera-CM-1830CW.html

 

And here is a shot of it in action; it is rigidly mounted, with no cushioning whatsoever, to the roof rack.

 

Tom

Edited August 5, 2010 by Off Road SHO

[jlumba81]

How about one of those hunting cameras that are motion triggered?

[BruceBowker]

OffRoad and jlumba - some ideas. Thanks

 

Brucd

[jimrankin]

GoPro has a really small HD camera that will work in low lux. It has a bunch of settings for both regular, HD, full motion of still picks at timed intervals. On the timed setting it will record way past your time limit on a fairly low MB chip and the onboard battery life is pretty good. You can even set it for stealth so that the "on indicator" little red light is defeated.

Really cool part is it can be used on your car when not monitoring your local low-lifes.

[BruceBowker]

Jim - thanks. I'll carefully look at this one.