Thanks for reading. This is without a doubt the most random thread I have ever started, but I would appreciate any thoughts from any tech/gadget/surveillance people.
I'll be as brief as I can. Over the past few weeks, my girlfriend's car has been vandalized by someone smearing dog crap on her car windows. She lives in an apartment complex. After the first event, she called the police and had a report written up. The cop mentioned getting a game camera. Before we got one, it happened a second time (when her car was parked a block away, signaling she was being specifically targeted).
So, we bought a game camera. In case you don't know, a game camera can be strapped to a tree and takes photos in day and night (infra-red). She bought a more expensive model game camera. Our plan was to put it inside the car so that when it detected someone outside the window, it would trigger. Two problems: first, I couldn't make the sensor trigger through the glass of the car. In other words, movement outside of the car did not trigger the camera. Second problem is that even if it did trigger from inside the car, the game camera takes infra-red pictures via a "flash" of these little red lights, kind of like Christmas tree lights - point being, that if it did take the picture, the dude might see it flash and smash the window to get the camera.
Anyway, we started parking her car in the same spot, and mounted the camera on a tree next to it. We've done that every night for two weeks. She's been very upset, to say the least. Well, just when we'd almost decided to stop doing it, boom - the dude struck last night. The game camera only got shots of the guy's backside - head, back, legs, and feet. It was enough for her to recognize that he is a homeless squatter (if that's the phrase). She has had some run-ins with him in the past, and he has frightened another woman in the area. She gave the sim card to the police investigator who has been looking at this. The investigator said what I was afraid he'd say. Essentially, "Yes, we are familiar with this squatter guy, but those pictures may not be good enough for court."
So, we are going to try to position her car and the camera differently tonight. But the reason for my post is to ask any of you tech guys and girls whether you can suggest a different type of surveillance - short of a private investigator to stay outside all night, night after night - that would capture the guy's face.
I know it's a longshot, but I also know some pretty tech knowledgable people hang around here.
Thank you for your time.
I'll be as brief as I can. Over the past few weeks, my girlfriend's car has been vandalized by someone smearing dog crap on her car windows. She lives in an apartment complex. After the first event, she called the police and had a report written up. The cop mentioned getting a game camera. Before we got one, it happened a second time (when her car was parked a block away, signaling she was being specifically targeted).
So, we bought a game camera. In case you don't know, a game camera can be strapped to a tree and takes photos in day and night (infra-red). She bought a more expensive model game camera. Our plan was to put it inside the car so that when it detected someone outside the window, it would trigger. Two problems: first, I couldn't make the sensor trigger through the glass of the car. In other words, movement outside of the car did not trigger the camera. Second problem is that even if it did trigger from inside the car, the game camera takes infra-red pictures via a "flash" of these little red lights, kind of like Christmas tree lights - point being, that if it did take the picture, the dude might see it flash and smash the window to get the camera.
Anyway, we started parking her car in the same spot, and mounted the camera on a tree next to it. We've done that every night for two weeks. She's been very upset, to say the least. Well, just when we'd almost decided to stop doing it, boom - the dude struck last night. The game camera only got shots of the guy's backside - head, back, legs, and feet. It was enough for her to recognize that he is a homeless squatter (if that's the phrase). She has had some run-ins with him in the past, and he has frightened another woman in the area. She gave the sim card to the police investigator who has been looking at this. The investigator said what I was afraid he'd say. Essentially, "Yes, we are familiar with this squatter guy, but those pictures may not be good enough for court."
So, we are going to try to position her car and the camera differently tonight. But the reason for my post is to ask any of you tech guys and girls whether you can suggest a different type of surveillance - short of a private investigator to stay outside all night, night after night - that would capture the guy's face.
I know it's a longshot, but I also know some pretty tech knowledgable people hang around here.
Thank you for your time.
