Gypsy business scammers

Expect regular visits, they came around my place 35 years ago. Claimed they were native americans looking for bits of scrap metal for thier crafts business. Got a burgular alarm yet? They were scoping you out for a hit.

Best Regards Tom.

How did you figure them out when they visited?

Thier story was inconsistant, guys in a pickup truck with a hot tar tub in it are not in the crafts business.

Best Regards Tom.

They may be Travellers. Here's a Colorado govt. website warning about them.

Yep, about same here.

Good catch.

(...)

Um. No.

I'm sure there are wireless ip cameras that work properly. I ordered one of these. On power up, it did a slow pan of my office and opened up an ip connection on my router.

I put a cardboard carton over it while it completed the scan. It failed to respond to any commands. Back in the box and back to the manufacturer it went.

--Winston

Interesting...my brother has one that's working perfectly...

--I'm still in the market though is anyone has other suggestions.

(...)

He got a good one. :)

I want to see if Zoneminder is a good answer:

--Winston

Most of those camera would not provide enough evidence to identify or convict individuals, unless they walked very closely to it.

I have one, it works very well, but it has its limitations.

Who knows. In both cases, I acted in a way that gave those guys enough notice that I was very suspicious of them and not inviting. I also gave them no chance to enter my place, they did not see much. So, they may think twice about coming back.

These people are very experienced in judging people, kind of like am experienced in "buying surplus equipment" situations. I think that they got the idea that I was suspicious about them.

You one outside--to record images of the vehicle, complete with license plate if possible...

--and another one that's inside...

IMO, it's a huge mistake to have the camera emitting IR light, since it's a dead giveaway as to where the/each camera is located.

IR illumination isn't a bad idea, it's just not a good idea to use something that says "here's my camera".

I had a situation a while ago, where I confronted a guy that was lurking in an alcove/alleyway on a friend's property. It was afternoon and there was sufficient light to watch his activity, so with the recorder on, I went out to the street to let him know he was being recorded.. his behavior was that of a typical convict, but uneventful. He came back the next day (roughly the same time) doing a quick walk-thru of the space holding a camera out in front of his head, panning around for an IR illuminator. He wouldn't see the concealed camera I viewed him with, day or night, because it has no IR emitter. After interrupting a drug deal (anonymously from a safe location) and chasing some kids away, there has been very little activity in that space.. when previously it had been a frequent stop for a lot of street-types. The word gets around.

PIR detectors aren't visible in darkness, whereas IR can be seen with any cheap digital camera, and probably even phone cams. Using a PIR detector to turn on the IR illumination would be more practical, but the detector(s) could also be used to alert the owner and turn on conventional lighting.. the lit ceiling lights would let the thieves know they've been detected, and may cause them to rush out early instead of stealing or vandalizing more of your stuff.

Having the thieves identified or caught may seem like a cool (ego) aspect like in the (not based in reality) movies, but deterring any/more break-ins should be the ultimate goal.

Outdoor lighting is the most cost effective night time deterrent because generally, a sneak thief's first priority is not to be seen.

Having a few IR illuminators turned on within the protected space could be a worthwhile deterrent if they can be "seen" from outside, but may just present a cat & mouse, adrenaline enhanced game-like challenge to prowlers.

Liberally sprinkle used cartridge cases around and leave a car in the parking lot over nights but move it often. Lights on timers also help with the illusion as well as big dog dishes and toys outside by the doors. The background criminal element probably has you all cased out and waiting for a good haul.

I hope that suspicion included getting their license plate number, just in case you need to refer someone to them, like the cops.

Good catches, Tom/Ig. Stay alert. The Bad Guys -are- out there.

-- I merely took the energy it takes to pout and wrote some blues. --Duke Ellington

There are those kinds of con's and potentially thieves all over; not all are necessarily "gypsies" or any particular ethnicity.

If they're saying they're in roofing or somesuch, ask for their local business license; every city will have requirements for them to have it to do legitimate business. That will usually smoke 'em out very quickly.

As others said, besides simply being aware at your own place, _do_ report them to the local cops; you're not the only one they'll be trying to rip off in one way or another and descriptions and vehicle are helpful.

--

As may others have said, your instincts are most likely correct. Nor is this unique.

Taking a picture of them and their truck would be very effective. Nor is the truck used for casing likely to be stolen, so its tag number will work.

They likely don't worry about cameras inside the building, because their MO is to collect data, then hit their target list and run - they will be in the next state by the time the cops have gotten there, and the thiefs are probably smart enough to wear ski masks while inside.

I have one relevant story. I was on holiday in Guadeloupe, and we had a picnic at a state park. So we are doing the usual tourist thing, when I notice a little knot of young local men and their motor scooters. Then I notice that they seem to be very interested in photography ... well in our camera bags, to be precise.

So I asked the tourist guy with the most impressive camera (with large telephoto lens) to take a picture of the young men. The guy didn't want to waste a frame, but agreed to go through the motions, and did. The young men suddenly got on their scooters and left.

Joe Gwinn

PS. As for IR illuminators, the simplest dodge is to have some incandescent ceiling "night lights" out in the open, for all to see, nowhere close to the cameras. A 130 volt lamp run at 120 volts will last forever, and generates plenty of IR. Being visible to the eye, it will look like safety lighting, and won't be thought of as a IR illuminator. JMG

On 1/16/2012 9:25 AM, Joseph Gwinn wrote: ...

The other dodge we've found helpful are the fake cameras--had a storage garage at the church that was broken into several times; lost lawnmowers, snowblower, etc., a couple of times.

After the fakes (and a couple real not placed so obviously) we've not been molested again....

--

You forgot the radar dog. (All the noise with none of the mess!

-- I merely took the energy it takes to pout and wrote some blues. --Duke Ellington