CCTV on your property - has anyone done it?

Maz

Apologies if this has been asked before but I am so sick to death of the mindless vandalism being done to my house, I'm seriously considering installing CCTV to capture the little b'stards responsible!

I've had the police round and they are pretty much powerless to do anything, except catching the feral gits in the act, which of course isn't going to happen as this is largely an opportunist act, plus I live in a quiet lane,which is a short cut to escape routes.

Does anyone know of any laws or any other such other boloxsing sh**te that renders me a) acting against the human rights legislation or b) hinders me from installing such (expensive) equipment?

Honestly, I'm so out of pocket in all this and I would like to be able to sleep without worrying about what's going to happen next, not to mention the feeling of being scared shi*less much of the time, especially at weekends. I've had the sitting room window put in, a stoned/!!!!!! bloke trying to get into my house and now the very much lesser act of my front door bell chord being severed and left on my doorstep. This is all in the space of a few weeks. Doesn't sound much in the grand scheme of things but I'm getting to the stage where, if I catch the little sh**ts responsible for this, I'll kick their teeth so far down their throats, they'll have to stick their fingers up their !!!!!! to bite their finger nails.

Any suggestions would be most helpful before I blow one.

Ay thenk you!

Stephb1986_2

we have one on our house. Aslong as it is on your property i dont think that there is a problem

HTH

Steph xx

p.s sorry to hear your having trouble

alyth

Maz (and Steph, how are you!) I used to be on my local community council, and this subject came up at one meeting. from memory, you can put CCTV up on your property, but you also have to put a sign up saying that CCTV is in operation - similar to the signs that shops and factories have up. I also have a very vague memory of something to do with the fact that if, for example, you do catch someone on the film then you have to hand the film over as evidence - I think the police may be able to advise you on this from an infringement of rights point of view.

alternatively you could always put up a fake CCTV camera on the offchance that that deters people? A large dog works - I have a rottie and live away out in the sticks, no one is every going to do anything to my house with her inside - that's not the reason why I have her of course, but it helps!

Maz

Thanks Steph and alyth for your comments and advice, much appreciated!

CCTV is a last ditch attempt at curbing the little sH**ts tbh. Am just completely sick to death of them getting away with it not just for me but for everybody else round here, especially the elderly who've been targeted too. It's not on and it makes me sick to think that elderly people have been attacked purely because they're vulnerable and easy targets. Gnah!

Savvy_Sue

My understanding is that not only must the camera be on your property, but you can't film outside your boundaries. Which may be what Steph and alyth meant.

So, you can have a camera covering your front door, and your garden, but you can't cover the lane. Unless it's your property, of course.

[Deleted User]

Hi
I hope it's OK to point you in the direction of another website (if not Martin & Co have my permission to slap my legs!) but I've had a similar prob with nasty racist neighbours....the neighbours from hell uk website is very good www.nfh.org they have a forum and lots of info on the law re' cctv etc. from memory I think you're not allowed to record other people without their permission or at least warning them beforehand (as said above).
It's worth checking out, you might get some support & ideas from others in the same situation...

I do hope you are able to sort this prob out I know how horrible and intimidating evil neighbours can be.

All the best & Good luck :-)

Maz

Thanks everyone for all your help and advice. Apologies also for ranty OP!

Will be looking at CCTV equipment today. Can you put up a sign warning about CCTV in operation even if you don't actually have any or a dummy camera?

Sounds like a stupid question but UK is so pc obssessed, wouldn't want to be accused of upsetting the little Bleeders!

Savvy_Sue

That I don't know about, but I'd have thought the NfH people would.

However, if you don't even have a dummy camera, I'm not sure how effective any sign would be.

Equally, if you do have a camera, dummy or otherwise, in an obvious and accessible place, I'd expect the first thing they did would be to vandalise it!

DKLS

Have done it and to cover yourself, put up a sign stating CCTV in operation, get some computer software, I use Gotcha, it can zone off areas such as communal areas, neighbours paths etc so they are not filmed.

Mine is set to upload video to a FTP site for me to view, it also texts me when something happens at the house.

Mostly I have filmed the randy antics of the local cats, but did identify the little scroat who raided my shed. Who now sports an ASBO.

Just to cover myself a bit further, I registered for a Data Protection Licence, cost £29 for the year, all that basically means, is I have the right to film and store images, but if someone wants a copy I have to provide them with a copy for £10.

And there are plenty of vandal proof cams out there.

Good luck OP

hollydays

If you are thinking of using it as evidence,it might be worth checking with the Information Commissioner,and the Police.

It is worthwhile using good quality tapes/discs and only recording over them so many times.Some organizations will replace tapes every 3 months,because the quality becomes very poor,so keep an eye on how grainy your recordings are getting,as otherwise they may prove useless as evidence.I didn't know private individuals had to display a sign.For organizations there are also rules about keeping a log in reference to which tape was put in by whom and when etc..

Pssst

I think its an absolute trgendy that ordinary people in many parts of Britain practically have to live under siege because of the actions of feral youths. Everywhere you look we have cameras,security lights,dog warning signs,barbed wire etc what the heck is going on? And all so that yobs can roam free and express themselves.

Perhaps you need to interact with your neighbours and the local police/CPSO?

The important thing is that you and your neighbours report every incident to the police. This creates a profile so that they can hopefully recognise patterns.