CCTV System?

ab7167

Does anyone know anything about CCTV? I need something that can do the following :-

Record to a computer
Records sound as well - I know we can only record our own property, but can we get something that will record verbal abuse from next door property?
Is it possible to get something that will record a rolling 30 minutes or something? So if an incident occurs, we can press a button and the last 30 minutes footage will be saved?
Is this kind of thing admissible in court.

As you've probably guessed, it's a neighbour dispute - started over parking but has now progressed. Police just say 'talk to each other' which does nothing, and landlord (same one for both properties) refuses to get involved.

It is not my property, but my friends don't know what to do next..

bigpound

If you have an old spare computer & webcam you can use that with some free software to do it. Buying CCTV equipment to furfill your requirements will be very pricey.

Have you considered a usb spy pen? they run for just under £100.

steve1980

Depending on the system required (hidden or obvious) then you could have a couple of these:

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/displayProduct.jsp?sku=SR07690&CMP=e-2072-00001000

For it to go through the PC you would need one of these:

http://www.ambery.com/usb20avvicav.html

Remember, if you use this you MUST display CCTV stickers where they can be seen, ie front door, window.

No display, no evidence.

asbokid

steve1980 wrote: »

Remember, if you use this you MUST display CCTV stickers where they can be seen, ie front door, window.

No display, no evidence.

how does a sticker relate to criminal evidence?

steve1980

asbokid wrote: »

how does a sticker relate to criminal evidence?

The OP has already stated that they have spoken to the police. If they decide to film the issues they are having and report it again to them, they need to prove that they took the relevent steps and "advise" people that they could be being filmed.

Something like this.



Also, it helps their cause as they have video evidence, rather than just one persons word against the other.

ab7167

Thankyou for the replies, I think a highly visible system might get the neighbours to wind their neck in a bit, so to speak, so will investigate the options.

It's pretty stressful, the police have now offered mediation, but where actually can it go? If they refuse to cooperate, it seems that they are free to shout and swear out of their windows at children in the garden, any and all visitors to the house, etc. without any sanctions at all?

asbokid

steve1980 wrote: »

If they decide to film the issues they are having and report it again to [the police] they need to prove that they took the relevent steps and "advise" people that they could be being filmed.

That's called being polite, but it is not obligatory and perhaps counter-productive when dealing with nasty neighbours.

For CCTV cameras installed in domestic premises, there is also no requirement in law for CCTV signs.

Video evidence is just as admissible in court, whether you inform the subjects or not.

It is okay to clandestinely video a public area (e.g. a neighbour's *unfenced* front garden). It gets a bit iffy videoing an area where the public cannot normally see, for example, an enclosed back garden, or videoing through a neighbour's window.

How many times have we seen the press corp on the doorsteps of love-cheat celebrities and sticky-fingered politicians, poking video cameras in their faces?

If those hardened rogues can't stop the videoing, then old joe bloggs next door certainly has no chance.

Even if the Data Protection Act or the Human Rights Act do offer some nominal protection against breach of privacy, in practice it's meaningless, since a judge has the discretion to allow illegally-obtained evidence to be presented to a court.

If I wanted to obtain evidence for a criminal prosecution, then I definitely would not put a CCTV warning sticker in my window! Why destroy the element of surprise?!

ab7167

With this particular issue, being able to film the public highway in front of the neighbours house would be sufficient, as long as there was audio. I myself have been sworn at and threatened for parking on a piece of the road they feel is 'theirs'. We've had police and council out, both who confirm there is nothing wrong with parking where we do, and have repeatedly warned the neighbour against this behaviour. They don't seem to want to go any further than this. I think my friends will accept mediation, and then think about CCTV if it doesn't go well.

I see them just so worn down by this.

paddyrg

If you head into a branch of Maplin there are all sorts of CCTV DIY kits, PVR's which roll continuously, mini/big/night/audio/etc cameras

Not free, but sometimes they do package deals which would work out fairly decently

asbokid

ab7167 wrote: »

With this particular issue, being able to film the public highway in front of the neighbours house would be sufficient, as long as there was audio.

That's perfectly legitimate.. Members of the public are entitled to covertly video the street outside their own homes. The provisions in the Data Protection Act allow for that.

An el-cheapo "spy" camera that records both audio and video to SD memory cards at up to 720x480 resolution costs less than £10 from a famous auction site.

http://electronics.shop.ebay.co.uk/i.html?_nkw=MD80+camera&_sacat=293&LH_BIN=1&_sop=15&_odkw=MD80&_osacat=293&_trksid=p3286.c0.m270.l1313

I myself have been sworn at and threatened for parking on a piece of the road that they feel is 'theirs'. We've had police and council out, both who confirm there is nothing wrong with parking where we do, and have repeatedly warned the neighbour against this behaviour. They don't seem to want to go any further than this. I think my friends will accept mediation, and then think about CCTV if it doesn't go well.

i would start covert videoing as soon as possible, as a backup if the mediation fails.

ab7167

So to confirm, it is considered polite to inform neighbour of the CCTV but not a legal requirement? I would like to help them set up so that their own driveway and the public highway in front of both houses was being recorded, NOT their private land.

I will purchase the equipment ASAP as this has to stop soon. The ultimate aim is not really to get them arrested, but to convince the landlord to evict them. I'm guessing there would be no custodial sentence for such vile behaviour, but convincing the landlord this is serious (he claims it is being exaggerated by my friends) might help. Are landlords not partially responsible for the behaviour of their tenants?