Help me catch a thief!

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HosstheBoss

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Hi, need some advice here

I work from home and so I have my employees around the house all day, and tools are being stolen non stop! Power tools (lost about 5 so far this year!) and now today; my old man’s set of imperial sized spanners, you struggle to find those damn things anywhere.

I want to set up a camera so I can catch the bastard that’s stealing, because I get denials any other way! Problem is this:
I have three garages on different sides of the house, pc inside. I need a camera(s) that is(are) preferably wireless (laying cables are going to be a bitch) and I also want to move them around a lot, with the hope to keep people guessing.

Labanimal mentioned a router to me in another thread, that functions as a hub (wireless) as well and I understand these wireless camera’s work with ip addresses, does that mean they’ll work together?

I want something at a decent price, don’t want to spend thousands but I also want something that can at least capture a decent picture. I also want to be able to record things while I’m not at home.
Questions:
What will the range be like of the camera signal?
Is there some software needed to record onto hard drive?
What prices am I looking at?
Is the ip camera the best route, or is there something else?

Please any advice is appreciated!
 
*phew* That's quite a bit of stuff :p I can't help you with any of the others but I'd suggest installing the cams when the people aren't there and disguising them in such a way that it's almost impossible to know where they are.

I did a similar thing in one of our old offices and disguised the thing in an old paper box (with the black lens poking slightly out of the black part of the box) and piled rubbish on top. It blended in perfectly and we found someone doing things they shouldn't :D
 
you're gonna hate this but even possession of most of the covert surveillance stuff where it is not part of your business is illegal under the regution of interception of communications act

you would have to take reasonable efforts to ensure that they know they are being monitored......

///says to toxin - thar
 
You will have to tell them they are being monitored. Wireless cameras suck in my experiance. Find a place called Elvy or Regal Eltro and ask them for advise.
 
Ask your employee's to sign a document agreeing that they may be monitored via CCTV. The ones who dont want to sign, well, I suggest you replace them over time.
 
HosstheBoss said:
Quite frankly I don't care for any of that, I want to catch the thief, he can speak to the labour department from his cell
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i understand your frustration - just be careful

the potential fines and penalties are hectic

+ it is most likely that you would not be able to use any of the material recorded in a prosecution or civil case because t would be illegally-obtained evidence
 
Interesting dominic.....would that apply to any workplace with security cameras where employees have not been explicitly warned? Why illegally obtained ? If HtB catches a non-employee doing affirmative shopping, would the evidence be "legal" ?
 
You have to have signs up saying the premisses is monitored and employees need to know other wise you invading there privacy even if they are on your property.
 
dominic said:
you're gonna hate this but even possession of most of the covert surveillance stuff where it is not part of your business is illegal under the regution of interception of communications act

you would have to take reasonable efforts to ensure that they know they are being monitored......
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As far as I am aware the act makes it illegal to monitor another persons transmittions. Every bank, and most large shops and malls have serveillance to stop theft. When you work at these places you dont sign any document allowing them to monitor you.
 
Agree on the employee/normal workplace issue but hey, I could have those cameras to see which of my two dogs are always cr@pping on my lawn or destroying the irrigation , then I don't have to shout at both of them. The fact that I can catch a "home employee" ,or anyone for that matter, transgressing is an "unexpected bonus". Let's call it "accidentally-obtained" evidence ;)

/Edit : I'm not trying to hijack HtB's thread, but am really interested in when and to whom legal/illegal applies
 
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Angelo said:
Increase their wages. ;)
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That grates me if I can only pay someone so much and they agree to work for that amount but decides its not enough they can go look for a higher paying job and I'll get someone else also the fact that I have to replace what they stole affects everyone else as now I have less money to give increases and bonuses knowing that I have to factor in costs for stolen stuff during a financial year.
 
Gunny said:
That grates me if I can only pay someone so much and they agree to work for that amount but decides its not enough they can go look for a higher paying job and I'll get someone else also the fact that I have to replace what they stole affects everyone else as now I have less money to give increases and bonuses knowing that I have to factor in costs for stolen stuff during a financial year.
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Just ignore Angelo, he's the same punts that insinuated that the army guy was justified for killing the Major Lombard at Tempe because of racial discrimination even though the Major had just relocated to Bloem!
 
Luke7777 said:
...
/Edit : I'm not trying to hijack HtB's thread, but am really interested in when and to whom legal/illegal applies
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Perfectly fine I don't mind the semi hijack ;) but heres the deal

Give me some info on cameras and then you can have some info on legal matters, either way I catch the guy, he'll return my stuff and he'll hit the road, no negotiation!
 
Maybe as an alternative, get them to take a polygraph test, many private companies doing this. My guess is you only have to test the first one before all the stuff will magically appear.
 
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