Low-budget security system solution

In South Park we’ve had some random problems with delinquents. After my three car break-ins, I started to investigate a video surveillance system. Being a video pro, I realize that garbage in makes garbage out. When I saw the prices for cameras/systems with at least HDTV resolution, infrared night vision I started to have second thoughts.

Spending $800 plus for something that had limited video quality just wasn’t worth it. I’ve got a few neighbors who have systems installed- and so far, the only thing the cameras have caught was me walking across the street with my weedeater- and a rock hitting and shattering his truck’s back window 17 seconds later. I went halves with him on it.

Moultrie Game Spy M-100 camera

Moultrie Game Spy M-100 camera

However, on walks through Woodland Cemetery, we see the cameras they have mounted in the trees- with solar collectors to power  them. Turns out, it runs a 6 megapixel still camera, with infrared night vision, and is on a motion sensor. Designed for hunters to watch game trails, you can even buy a cell service for $30 a month to have it upload to a web server so you can monitor remotely. That system is the Moultrie Game Spy M-100 and runs around $170.

Stealth Cam 8mp camera

Stealth Cam 8mp camera

But looking for other game cameras, I came across an 8mp camera for about half the price. At around $90 the Stealth Cam 8MP Digital Scouting Camera/Video recorder with 36 Infrared Emitters and Audio does about the same thing- for half the price. We would move them around the neighborhood to trouble spots- where we’ve been getting hit with graffiti, break-ins, dumping. The cameras run on batteries- and we only have to monitor the images if something has happened. The 8 mp resolution is much higher than any video surveillance system we can afford in the neighborhood. And the ease of moving these cameras and using them is much more attractive than traditional DVR systems with cameras.

Over the weekend, we had some hooligans trash some of our community gardens, including breaking the spigot off the water buffalo, and on my morning runs, I’m seeing a lot more tagging on the backs of buildings along Wayne.

Since our city can find millions to give to General Electric, but can’t hire more police, it’s time for citizens to become our own security force. If you order any of these systems or have experience with them- being used in the home security realm, please let me know what kind of results you’ve had.

Here are some pictures of what we’ve been experiencing lately in South Park:

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