Camera for recording car scratchers

hubb

Ok, our cars in our area are getting scratched, some dented maliciously more and more of late. Over 3 years I have had it done around 10 times with periods of inactivity between. It always starts around April onwards.

Anyway, I am looking at a good camera that isn't costly that I can at least stick in the window to deter, even better catch them in the act but not sure they have motion sensors.

Has anyone found a reasonable priced camera that has worked for them in helping deter or record malicious vandals ?

martinthebandit

Whereabouts on the car are the scratches?

musafir05

Just use your iPhone

hubb

The doors and rear side panel on the passenger side. My phone is basic and does not have a camera. Even if It did it would be no use in my car.

Strider590

Maybe not the ideal solution in your case, but due to my nuts chav neighbours, I use a laptop (in an old cupboard) with a webcam (on a custom made bracket in the top corner of the window in my back room), set to time lapse on motion sensing via a free program call "Dorgem".

I have to say though, the damage usually comes from the least suspected source, many a street has been terrorised by an OAP with a grudge against people parking there.

hubb

I know Amazon sell lots of different types but they are mainly driving cams. I just want to find something similar that will record on motion sensing

forgotmyname

If you leave a camera on view in the car there is a risk they will steal it.

The issue with recording from motion sensing is that it needs to be running 24/7 and that could drain your cars battery. Also by the time its started recording they could have done the damage and be away from the vehicle.

SD cards were not really designed to be used 24/7 with constant writing to the card also.

Tobster86

forgotmyname wrote: »

SD cards were not really designed to be used 24/7 with constant writing to the card also.

Just about every sports and dash camera uses a MicroSD card.

I'm also using a Raspberry Pi to continuously host web services, which uses a Micro SD card to store all files including the operating system, and a portion of it will be used for virtual memory.

If you can substantiate your statement, it would be usefully appreciated!

hubb

Although we have car sctraching, nobody in this village will bother to smash a car wndow to steal a £30-ish camera. It's not the city.

Looks like a dummy camera is my only option in the hope that t will be a deterrent.

System

Not quite sure how a camera is going to identify who scratches a car when the scratching will be done out of camera shot (below window level)

Don't think you'll get very far with "He walked past my car at 11PM last night and my car had a scratch this morning"

Strider590

Starts in April....... Do kids play in your street? Bike handlebars can be quite damaging to your vehicle, as can any kind of balls games. They never play near their own parents cars.