To catch a thief...

GnarlyKnuckles on 09/08/2015 - 02:59

I need some advice/expertise/knowledge in order to catch a thief. One of the ‘kids’ (late teens or early 20s) working at the shop my wife manages is repeatedly having stuff stolen from his house/bedroom, and all indications are that it’s a particular one of his housemates doing it (unsurprisingly, the one who’s into addictive recreational drugs). Thus far he’s been unable to prove anything though, so he’s been unable to take any direct action (demand monetary compensation/ kick the guy out straight away/without the usual amount of notice required etc.). I really want to help this guy resolve the situation, because I went through the exact same thing about 20 years ago and remember how utterly violated but powerless to act I felt. Back then the potential solution I allude to below was not an option, but now it is, and I need a bit of advice to pass on in order to make it work.

He has a lap-top with a camera, and I’m thinking this can be used to set a trap for the thief, with the aim of obtaining footage or pictures of him actually nicking something from the guy’s room. My basic idea is to set the laptop up so that it looks like it’s ‘asleep’ (or perhaps it might be better if it’s scrolling through screen-saver pics; to disguise the ‘noise’ of pics or footage being captured?), whereas in fact it’s actively either capturing low-res video, or snapping a pic every 1 or 2 seconds, and saving that data to a cloud.

I reckon it’s necessary to have the data being saved to a cloud, in case the thief actually nicks the laptop itself! That way the footage/pics could still be accessed, and would actually be all the more damning. Armed with the footage/irrefutable evidence, he could then (with a friend or two present!) accuse the thief, receive the standard pathetic denial, then show them the footage. Then, he could demand monetary compensation for all the stuff stolen so far (either ‘on the spot’ or via the small-claims court; whichever the thief prefers), and more importantly evict them straight away; without the usual requirement for notice of 30 days.

I’m sorry it’s taken so long for me to get to the specific question I’m actually asking (I’m not known for being succinct), which is what would be the best (free) software and cloud storage combination to use to put this trap into effect?

Re the cloud storage, assuming a capture-rate of one pic every 2 seconds, that would equate to 43200 pics every 24 hours. These could be sequentially replaced each day with the next day’s pics, until the trap was successful. The pics needn’t be at all ‘hi-res’, so it seems a very doable prospect to me; even at 200 kb per pic (jpeg format), still well under a GB per 24 hours. I’ve never used any cloud storage service, but I seem to recall plenty of mobs offer a gig or more for free… but can you actively save to these types of ‘free cloud storage’ services every 2 seconds, in real time?

TLDR: Has anyone used a cunningly positioned/cunningly set-up laptop to capture PROOF of theft, and if so/applicable, what combination of image-capturing and cloud-storage software did you use?

Computing

Comments

  • shadowarrior on 09/08/2015 - 04:32
    +4

    I will post in details tomorrow about the software I use, but my camera only takes pics when there's movement detected. And I have that setup via a normal webcam. So it won't be constantly taking pictures. The video feed for example will be on, when there's a difference in frame's composition, it will take a snapshot, and keep taking snapshots through the movement. When played in a slideshow…it is like watching a movie.

    You will need a sync setup, so the drive sync everytime there's a new file. Dropbox does that. Am sure google drive etc will do the same thing.
    Edit: I think this one: http://www.ispyconnect.com/
    Need to check my laptop tomorrow morning

    • GnarlyKnuckles on 09/08/2015 - 05:07

      Thank you very kindly for your swift response SW, and that is an excellent point you raise re motion-activated picture/data capturing (one I had not thought of because I'm a complete novice/noob in this realm); thinking about it, that would negate the whole problem of capturing endless MBs worth of pics that are all essentially identical, and dramatically reduces the potential 'storage burden' on the cloud service utilised. I'm assuming you can set the level of motion required to trigger capturing (sensitivity), so that a fly landing on sommat in the distance doesnae set it off, but an actual dude entering the room/nicking stuff does?

  • Davo1111 on 09/08/2015 - 07:00
    +3

    Then, he could demand monetary compensation for all the stuff stolen so far (either ‘on the spot’ or via the small-claims court; whichever the thief prefers

    I doubt small claims will provide compensation for all the items stolen, unless he admits to it. Maybe the item seen on camera, and you'd still be up for the court fees. IMO once you have the footage call the police and have him arrested for theft….with the evidence they would be able to search his room (of which you've provided a list of all stuff previously taken)

    I'd have a look at Dorgem or YAWCAM

    • Lysander on 09/08/2015 - 09:19

      Excellent point. Fully agree with you.

      • GnarlyKnuckles on 14/08/2015 - 04:23

        "Fully agree with you."

        I knew you'd eventually come around to my way of thinking Lysmo.

        • Lysander on 14/08/2015 - 08:39

          Not you of course as that thinking is a bit "naive".
          Davo1111 has got the right idea and his or her head screwed on the right way. Maybe learn from Davo1111 when it comes to those things you deal with.
          Although I cannot understand that someone like you cannot simply deal with an issue like that. ;-)

        • GnarlyKnuckles on 14/08/2015 - 13:02

          @Lysander:
          Thankfully it's been a couple of decades since I was 'at the mercy' of group housing Lysmo, but it's nice to know that you have faith in my problem-solving abilities.

    • GnarlyKnuckles on 14/08/2015 - 04:21

      "I'd have a look at Dorgem or YAWCAM"

      Awesome Davo, cheers mate! A couple of links for those interested:

      http://sourceforge.net/projects/dorgem/

      http://yawcam.software.informer.com/

    • GnarlyKnuckles on 14/08/2015 - 04:34

      "…they would be able to search his room"

      There would be very little point doing this, as the cops well know. These dudes nick stuff and take it straight to a fence, to convert it into cash, that they can then convert straight into recreational drugs. They don't 'store' stolen goods themselves.

      • Davo1111 on 14/08/2015 - 07:31

        Depends, bottom level crims arent exactly the smartest.

  • sleepy120 on 09/08/2015 - 09:26
    +1

    Or use an old mobile phone. Haven't used it be from the description " Alfred home security" from the play store does what u want with motion alerts. Or try some sort of dashcam software for the phone. I'm sure there is something for mobile out there that would suit.

    • GnarlyKnuckles on 14/08/2015 - 03:17

      'Charge' would be the main problem with this strategy, as would the fact that an 'old mobile' sitting there snapping pics would be pretty conspicuous.

      • Davo1111 on 14/08/2015 - 11:44

        Plugged into a power point, sitting on top of a book case? Nobody would ever see it

  • eatwell365 on 09/08/2015 - 13:26
    +1

    Got a dlink DCS-5010 or DCS-5020. Motion detection. Set up photo/video sent to a free email account. Also can monitor on smartphone. Paid $89 - $130.

    • GnarlyKnuckles on 14/08/2015 - 03:20

      Thanks for the suggestion, but I don't think any money needs to be spent in this particular case; provided his laptop is not some sort of dinosaur… it has a functioning built-in camera, so it cannae be that old!

  • indium on 09/08/2015 - 14:44
    +1

    He may suspect it's the housemate but could also be a housemates friend without housemate knowing. Could also not be a housemate but a thief who keeps going back for an easy target.

    • GnarlyKnuckles on 14/08/2015 - 03:30

      Your point is completely valid, and is exactly the type of thing that could be raised by the relevant authorities (etc.) in the event that it came to that; it could be one of the junky's mates. That's why it's important to identify exactly who it is definitively, with irrefutable (photographic) evidence; so appropriate action can be taken. The thefts-to-date described to me suggest that it's defo' not a series of 'random break-n-enters' though; it's seems clear that it's an opportunistic thief with regular access to the inside of the house.

  • Cave Fire on 09/08/2015 - 15:13
    +1

    Why don't you also get one of those NFC tracking tags that are sold on Kickstarter etc? Hide this in a valuable object and they will even alert you when they are moved out of a set distance. Would also make it easier to retrieve the item later.

    • GnarlyKnuckles on 14/08/2015 - 03:44

      I suggested something along these lines to him, to 'tag' his laptop; in case the thief actually nicks that. But the problem with that approach is the (substantial) expense it would entail, without any guarantee of it ever actually contributing to a successful outcome. This guy is evidently working a couple of shifts a week at my wife's place of business to help get himself through uni, and is not 'living at home' (i.e. 'with the parents'); so he has pretty much zero 'spare cash'. That's why I'm asking about potential solutions that are completely free to attempt.

  • pointless martyr on 09/08/2015 - 16:21
    +3

    Bear trap. Then you just have find the person with a partial missing limb - if they claim its just a coincidence then get a DNA test.

    Easy.

    Youre welcome.

  • robbyjones on 09/08/2015 - 21:09
    +1

    Why would your friend want to continue to share a house with a drug using thief? My advice, find somewhere new to rent and move out.

    • GnarlyKnuckles on 09/08/2015 - 22:38

      "Why would your friend want to continue to share a house with a drug using thief?"

      Obviously, he doesn't. He is the lease-holder, and it should not be him that moves out in any case. He needs the proof of theft to justify kicking the guy straight out, i.e. 30 minutes notice instead of the usually required 30 days.

      • robbyjones on 10/08/2015 - 15:33
        +3

        Ah, I see. In that case I would give him the required 30 days notice and still try to catch him out, nothing lost by doing this.

    • pointless martyr on 10/08/2015 - 00:24
      -2

      Why would your friend want to continue to share a house with a drug using thief?

      Probably the dealer - profits outweigh the losses

  • scrimshaw on 09/08/2015 - 22:51

    I have a TP Link Nc200 Wifi camera. Configurable with motion detection as well. It's only 39 bucks from MSY. However, it only takes VGA resolution video and will not really capture the thief's mug.

  • djones145 on 10/08/2015 - 15:26
    +1

    Place all valuables in one room, lock the door

    Or try placing signs around the house, " smile ur on camera" ( also covers ur arse that you warned them that they are being filmed)

    • GnarlyKnuckles on 14/08/2015 - 03:58

      "Place all valuables in one room, lock the door"

      Aye I hear you, and often the simplest advice is the best, but the aim is to identify the thief and eliminate them from the house immediately; in order to restore a 'normal' domestic situation, enabling the honest peeps living there to get back to living a normal life. It's evidently a 'group house', with three students living there; the most recent addition being a Japanese student who has recently moved in (well after the thefts commenced) to replace someone who moved out after getting jack of the situation. So it's not practical/realistic to mount cameras all around the common living areas (or signs pretending that this has been done), as a 'theft deterrent'…

      • djones145 on 14/08/2015 - 12:54

        It's the operational risk nature in my, we like preventative controls over detective! :)

        Good luck with the situation!

  • GoldPhoenix0 on 10/08/2015 - 21:12

    Use the laptop and OBS (Open Broadcast Software). Could always record it just in case, or worst comes to worst, stream it on Twitch and get the community involved to possibly catch them.

  • bargainslut on 11/08/2015 - 02:01

    Did I just walk into a 1984 novel, yikes.

  • DarkOz on 11/08/2015 - 08:15

    Give him 30 days notice and lock the door from now on and don't keep anything valuable in the room for now.

    It's not worth it going through the camera stuff. You will spend some money and waste a lot of time just to get it started. The monitoring waiting for him to strike again is painful not to mention reporting to the Police afterwards. Just cut the loss and end it.

    • GnarlyKnuckles on 14/08/2015 - 03:10

      "You will spend some money…"

      I can't see why any money need be spent; provided the cam in his laptop is decent enough. I'm not sure about that, but these days aren't they all built for 'Skyping'/VOIP etc.? He's only in his early 20's if not even younger, so I'm guessing his laptop is pretty new. So if the bait was placed near the pute, shouldn't it be an 'easy nail', even if the footage is not hi-res/doesn't capture an identifiable face? I mean, even if the junky's jacket or shoes (etc.) are easily recognisable in the footage (or pics) of him in the room at a certain time/nicking stuff, there could be no denying it; right?

      So to reiterate, the idea is to use the laptop he already has (i.e. spend no cash) to catch the junky in the act/acquire irrefutable proof of theft to use to legally justify kicking him straight out of the house.

      As pointed out by someone else above it's probably a pipe-dream expecting any compensation for the previous thefts… but the threat of taking the footage to the cops might prove somewhat persuasive in that respect. I guess that all depends on variables I have no idea about; like whether the guy has rich parents to 'bail him out' (before it gets taken to the law), the mental stability of the junky thief, etc…

      ANYWAYS, I'm very grateful to those who've offered legitimate/useful advice in this thread; thanks a million, it's much appreciated!

      • Davo1111 on 14/08/2015 - 11:49

        , there could be no denying it; right?

        unless he does.

        Last week on "The force" cops raided a drug dealers home. In the back shed there were 2 guys locked in the shed, and they found a massive bag of meth hiding behind a cupboard. The end result was that they were unable to prove they (or the home owner) were in possession of the meth and were found not guilty.

        So yeah, you may not have enough proof.

      • DarkOz on 15/08/2015 - 11:13

        I am assuming that the laptop is going to be hidden. In that case getting a cheap camera and possibly with an extension cable is required. But if you can hide the laptop and use its inbuilt camera then go ahead but it's not going to be easy. Just remember not to cover it with anything flammable such as a blanket or clothing.

        • GnarlyKnuckles on 15/08/2015 - 12:49

          Laptop won't be hidden; it will be sitting there in plain view, either 'sleeping' or scrolling through a screen-saver/slideslow.

  • outlander on 11/08/2015 - 08:35
    +3

    Setup a landmine just inside your room. He'll know who it is when he comes home and counts the number of legs each housemate has.
    *they may still try and deny it though

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