help to find what device is damaging my security cameras

by marie hartigan
(oakland maine)

Question:

I need help to find out what device is being used to damage my security cameras. without going into details, we know for sure this is being done and we know the persons that are involved.

I need to prove this and i can not find this device I felt it might be a red laser because we have seen them with it.

It seems to be a field around my home my cameras have hardley no more night vision and are blacked out for the most part. This happens at night mostly. If I turn my cameras 90 degress in another direction my cameras are in great condition and are in focus. I have seen what they call a fire beam but not sure.

I feel it is more then one laser or a system of some kind or a laser pulse. Only visable at night it seems to throw debris looking particles and what looks like snow. These persons have threatened my life. I am trying desperately to find a device.

Where and what should I be looking for? I am counting on you thanks.

Answer:

I will see what I can do here. The information is actually not that clear as to what is really happening but I can tell you what I think.

First it is possible to damage security cameras with a red laser beam. It can blind the camera and if allowed to be done too long it could even permanently damage the cameras sensor. Especially at night if you have night vision cameras.

Is that happening in your situation?

I am really not sure.

If you are pointing your cameras at night towards a field the reason they are blank is because there is probably no light in the field. If your cameras have IR lights on them their effective distance is limited.

Depending on the quality of the IR cameras you can get clouding in the camera from a reflection of the IR light off the back of the camera glass cover. That could account for what you are seeing as snowy or cloudy images.

Honestly I would need to see some image examples to give you a better idea.

You may want to consider getting some covert cameras or putting the cameras into something that does not look like a camera. Like a bird house or some other item on your house.

If it is this serious you should check out our security installer directory and find someone that could help you out with this.

I hope that helps.

Thanks,

Peter Brissete
Security Camera Expert