Jump to content
belphegor

Isolated construction site monitoring

Recommended Posts

I guess I was looking at this a little different. Why not protect the stuff people are going to steal instead of trying to read plates and see NOTHING of what they where doing. I think in addition to the LP camera you need to cover what you are trying to protect. If something does happen how are you gonna prove that LP was from someone who stole something maybe they just took a wrong turn and needed to turn around.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Agreed on the need for a wider camera to catch general activities... but you have to match the WHOLE solution to the circumstances, and it doesn't sound like this whole proactive-IQ concept is very well-suited to a site this remote... and may not even be possible, if there's no wireless coverage.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

You can use multiple VideoIQ cameras with one aircard. But it all depends what the customer wants. Do you want to just record video and then spend hours looking for something or be proactive and try to prevent it before it happens. Good luck let me know if you have any other questions.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks guys - your combined years of experience make for very useful comments.

 

Can it pick a license plate at night? On the Romanian install of the Mobotix cam linked above, the image is 640x480, that's, a quarter of the pixels actually recorded. With 4 times more pixel should we not be able to see the plates?

 

Yes protecting is the first option, but you can't really protect anything. A guy with a hammer would be able to break a window and enter the construction site and take what he wants. I'd rather be realistic about this.

 

4-5 cameras are not possible at this stage (no Internet, no network, necessity to conceal those cameras, etc...)

 

What would ilk and tomcctv recommend as a better option?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

bel, your idea to catch plates on the access road is a good start... but as others have noted, you might want a second camera with wide coverage to show what those cars (or their occupants) are actually doing... otherwise you have no legal connection between the vehicles and the thefts. A second camera with onboard recording would suffice for this.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes, we thought of putting another camera next to the house, but it would have to be concealed in the trees and operate on batteries only, like the Stealth Cam Prowler HD (a game camera). The problem is that these things are really quite visible and if the thieves are tipped off by people working on site they'll just steal the camera. I haven't found a location that's safe for the camera and has electricity.

But from the window of the other building where we plan to put the Motobix, you can actually see to the construction site (100m), you wouldn't get details but it would be clear that people are not just turning back. You'd probably sort of see (very small) them cut the chain at the entrance.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest
Thanks guys - your combined years of experience make for very useful comments.

 

Can it pick a license plate at night? On the Romanian install of the Mobotix cam linked above, the image is 640x480, that's, a quarter of the pixels actually recorded. With 4 times more pixel should we not be able to see the plates?

 

Yes protecting is the first option, but you can't really protect anything. A guy with a hammer would be able to break a window and enter the construction site and take what he wants. I'd rather be realistic about this.

 

4-5 cameras are not possible at this stage (no Internet, no network, necessity to conceal those cameras, etc...)

 

What would ilk and tomcctv recommend as a better option?

 

 

Bel,

 

Four times as many dark pixels is a dark picture four time larger than the one seen on the web site.

 

Remember, more pixels does not always mean more information, even if that is what the CCTV industry tries to tell us.

 

As Soundy and Wire Guys suggest, physical security is best.

 

If you are set on installing CCTV how about going for the Trail type of camera, low cost, battery operated and work in the dark. These can be set around the site at ground level ad they may pick up something.

 

Otherwise how about a dog on a long chain?

 

Ilkie

 

Sorry just seen your last post, you should be able to find covert version trail cameras if you think the problem is in-house.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Four times as many dark pixels is a dark picture four time larger than the one seen on the web site.

 

Remember, more pixels does not always mean more information, even if that is what the CCTV industry tries to tell us.

 

Yes, indeed, I was just saying that the image we see on the page was made with a camera that did record 4 x times more pixel (it says on the right), which is probably one of the reasons it is so dark, but with self-lit license plates it should work.

I will add a large motion activated projector from another part of the building where the camera is placed so that we'll have plenty of light and should solve it. It will bring the thieves attention to the wrong side of the building so it definitely won't show the camera.

 

For the "trail" type of cameras I could only conceal it if they had tele lenses, then we could place them some distance away and not be spotted. What do you think?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ok, just read all your posts...

 

This is what I'm seeing...

A fat dog on a chain chomping on a fat steak...

A cut chain on the gate...

A couple of theives running off into the night with some rather expensive camera gear and a nice set of lights for their garden...

 

What is it they're taking is it just one type of material(ie. timber, slates, tiles)?

Are the thefts happening on a certain day of the week?

Is it an insider that knows when materials have been delivered and returning at night?

 

Have a delivery of some expensive materials... leave them in a certain area(preferably inside a building telling all site staff of the delivery)... be the last person to leave site(with the materials)... notify local police of the recent thefts and what you intend on doing... return with a friend or two and be 'dropped-off' at the site with a flask of coffee, some sandwiches, and a camcorder to record the staged ambush... sit in the room where the expensive materials are supposed to be and wait to see which member of your site staff are unloyal, breaking and entering with intent of theft... et voila, your culprit will be in court the next morning " title="Applause" />

 

G'luck.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×