Security camera

So I'll start with the backstory, what really set me off today. So we live on a dead end road 5 minutes from town, we have one neighbor. The dead end road is about 1/3 mile long with a driveway to the neighbor, an another driveway to the neighbors woods, an then a 90°turn down our easement/driveway which is 1/8 mile long before it hits our yard. So we get more than what we should for traffic just people being nosey, but today what really set me off is, I was splitting firewood about 30' from my driveway in plain view, and a red Sonata pulls up, not really out of the ordinary because I own a welding business that I run out of my garage on said dead end road 75' from my house. But what got me is that this red sonata, pulls up right next to the wood pile that I was working on, turned around in my yard and left! They clearly saw me. I just about hoped in my car and chased their az$es down the road. They just seemed to be lollygagging around the entire time. Usually I would walk up to the vehicle and chat, but I was 2 splits on the splitter away from being done and I figured they would hop out and chat. We get traffic down the road all the time, which is fine, it's public road, nothing i can do about it other than roll my eyes. But once every 6 months or so (that I know of) we get this crap.

I have way too much stuff in my shop that is worth way to much and is easily carried away. So I'm hoping a few of you have insights to what I should get to help this situation. It's especially unnerving now with a baby girl here. The neighbor on the next dead end is a retired officer and said to get a camera. But I'm not sure what one.

So looking to get a security camera, or 2. To help narrow it down, I'm looking for something that can read liscense plates, day time, night time, and of course weatherproof. We get snow so not sure if snow build up is an issue. I don't care about the audio voice stuff, wireless would be nice but I don't want to charge batteries every week. No idea how long they last. We have WiFi in the house now if that helps. Looking to spend $200 or less. Looking for suggestions and ideas. I want something that actually helps if something were to happen, not the blurry, picture type videos. If something happens I want the proof to put up on social media/take to the authorities and get $hit taken care of.

 

A good camera system under $200 might be a tough fill.

Maybe start with signage, "Private Drive" and "Premises protected by closed security cameras".

Then a few decoy cams.

A decent trail cam wouldn't kill the budget, but battery life would be an issue.

 

I installed an Onwote system here, lower quality receiver system, the cams aren't bad. Reasonable range, but require power.

I went with a 4 channel system, but wish I'd gone with an 8 channel system for expansion.

All told, system and 2 terabyte drive ran around $260 I believe.

 

You have to spend big bucks For a camera that can read license plates .
I live On a dead end street also and I just don't understand why so many people come down to the end of the street There's a sign down at the other end it says dead end street .

You could buy one Wyze Cam , Try it out and see if you like it , I have 5 of them . It's amazing how good they are for the price , If you don't like it You are only out $25 bucks, Or you could send it back, They are actually better than The other $100 cameras I have , They sell them on Amazon also . They are not battery powered
https://www.wyzecam.com/shop/

 

I put up one of those, Private Drive, No Turn Around , There is a large area out there for people to turn around , The sign helps a little .
My main thing is keeping big trucks Vehicles out of my driveway , Cement driveway is cracked from that sort of Crap Already , They actually had a school bus route set up to come down here and turn around and Thought they were gonna use my driveway for that .

 

I guess there's always the option of raiseable stanchion systems, and those tire ripping systems.
But I'd imagine the $200 budget is blown.

 

About the second year we lived here, we went out to visit Chazsbetterhalf sons in Iowa.

Came back to find that some jagoff drove up our driveway and into the side yard.

Deep ruts, got stuck and tore he!! Out of the yard getting out.



Wish they'd stayed stuck.

 

It was probably my neighbor here! Yeah, he thought he would take short cuts across lawns to get back into the alley.....

this went on a few times, 99 thought I was nuts since she had never seen him do it until she saw him one day...."WTH?" she says!

He has since discontinued this practice (it was a few years back) but continues to park on the road in front of his house. No, not on the side of the road....on the road in the lane of traffic! For hours at a time!

 

View thru the perfect security camera lens

 

you could try this

 

We have 2 Ring video cameras. They were $250 each but they work great. They are hard wired for 120 volts but their video is wireless. They work through our WiFi. I have WiFi at work so I can keep an eye on what’s going on at home. I get a notice on my phone that there’s activity at home so I click on the camera and see what’s happening. I really can’t see license plates but can make out the make and model of the car. The storage is online so I don’t need a computer for it. They do have voice, sound and an alarm. It’s nice to talk to someone if you’re not sure why they are there.

 

sounds like a good place for a gate with battery powered opener

 

I have an Amcrest 8 camera system . Great system but it cost IIRC $1500+. It's a long range 4gb system. Great video quality and nice features on the system .it has an app for phone with alerts and video although I have not set this up yet.
Also have a Defender 4 cam. Works well but beyond 30 feet quality sucks. I have this system monitoring building entrances.IIRC it was around $400
I also have several game cams at drive entrances to catch plate #s.
They were all $150+.
Also have a Faleemi system in the house that has the phone app and can be directionally moved from your phone. Awesome little camera for the $. I think it was around $55
All my cameras overlap coverage so the cameras don't get jacked with.
All that said unless you have a major break in don't expect most cops to do jackchit with a plate #.
Trespassing is no big deal to them.
If you can mount game cams at the end of your drive facing your house to get the plate and one by the house to get a side/quartering view .This is the best.
We have trouble with all our game cams on pic timing. It may just be my lack of patience adjusting them.
The best thing I've done over the years to stop random BS on my property is start a business Facebook page and post pics/video clips of people pulling such bullchit on my property. Public humiliation is usually enough to stop all BS. Word spreads wildly through the entire community that your property is online when you post such acts. It's actually comical how fast it happens.
I started with signage a couple years before we put up cams. Signs weren't enough.
All our off building cams are mounted on poles in plain view. This alone slowed down shenanigans.

 

Wouldn't do much good, we've got open feild all around us.

 

Thanks for the input everythi, I'm going to start with a couple signs at the corner and go from there. Security cameras have been on the list for a long time, and they'll be coming, I just need to figure out how much and what ones to get.

 

I agree, but
Most people aren't going to drive around a gate...

If you stop a large percentage, then it helped. After that you just have to deal with the few ultra nosey azzhats and thieves. which are the biggest targets...

 

Please let us know how you make out.

 

Arlo cameras are battery or power, wifi, night vision, etc, will do all you want and are weatherproof. I can read license plates with the ones my mom got.

Under 200 for a 1 camera system
Arlo - Pro 1-Camera Indoor/Outdoor Wireless 720p Security Camera System - White

 

Put up some ISIS flags and stuff like that.....the gooberment will take care of your surveillance for you.