Recent events have prompted me to install a high tech security system that involves motion detection cameras and a monitored security alarm. The way the motion cameras work is that the detect any activity on the property and record visits. The video and still images are them sent immediately to one of my web servers in the USA and email me when they are triggered. The monitored alarm works in a similar way and on activation sends a call to six local phones to alert people of any activity.
The system works as this story from
www.stuff.co.nz shows.
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http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/3588271/Web-cameras-snap-intruder
When a man broke into a Lower Hutt home, he probably didn't expect
his crime to be broadcast live on the internet.
Jake Briggs, 33, set up remote, motion-triggered web-cameras in his
Taita house about 18 months ago.
On Monday, the cameras proved their worth, capturing images as an
alleged robber burgled his home.
Mr Briggs, a software engineer, was at work in central Wellington
about 1.45pm when he received an email informing him the cameras had
been triggered. When he opened the email, he watched live as the man
allegedly stole two laptops, clothing and alcohol. He fled before police
reached the scene.
"I was watching it happen ... It just popped up and said new email
and I looked at it, and I'm like 'holy shit, there's a guy in my
house'," he said.
It appeared the man had spotted a camera, and peered into it,
looking perplexed. He then turned to face the wall – giving a clearer
view of himself – before grabbing the gear and escaping over the back
fence, Mr Briggs said.
"I wasn't annoyed, I was more excited. Honestly, when I set it up I
never even dreamed that this would happen. The challenge of setting it
up was enough to make me set it up."
He called 111 and explained what was happening to a bemused
operator. Police reached the scene within 10 minutes but the alleged
robber had left.
Mr Briggs has now turned to social networking to solve the crime. He
posted the images, which clearly show a man wearing a baseball cap, on
Twitter with a caption asking for information on his identity.
Colleague John Weaver, 27, watched Mr Briggs' reaction as the emails
arrived.
"It was almost that of disbelief. He sort of turned to me and said,
`What number should I call if ... somebody's in my house."'
"I ran around to his desk and ... he was scrolling through these
emails and we were watching this guy go through his lounge."
Mr Weaver has also posted the images on his Twitter account.
Constable Daniel Turner of Lower Hutt was impressed with Mr Briggs'
ingenuity and the security setup. "I reckon it's a bloody good idea,"
he said, adding that the quality was better than more expensive CCTV
systems.
Police are wanting to speak to the man seen in the footage about the
burglary.
Anyone with information should contact Lower Hutt police on 04 560
2600.
JAKE BRIGG'S SECURITY SYSTEM
A standard laptop and webcams.
The web cameras are programmed to turn off and on at set times –
after Jake Briggs and his partner leave the house and before they
return.
The software, Motion, prompts the cameras to shoot a continuous
series of images.
When a certain amount of motion was detected between photo frames,
an email alert was sent to his inbox with an accompanying photograph.
Emails containing still images were continuously sent and Mr Briggs
was able to watch the footage live over the internet.
Once again Waikaretu has been host to the World Rally Championship. The best rally drivers in the world took on dual sessions of 3 stages through Franklin and sped at 200kph down roads we travel at 50kph if we are in a hurry and feeling brave.
As Arthur Allan Thomas prepared last week to celebrate three
decades of freedom since he was released from nine years of wrongful
imprisonment, he was visited by the other New Zealander to have walked
in his shoes. 