In article ,
Ignoramus30685 wrote:

My business was recently visited by suspicious people. There were
three guys in a truck, slightly dark skinned. I and my guy were near
the open overhead door.

They stopped by and asked if I am selling the building. I said
no. Then they handed me a business card and said that they were in a
roofing business. The card included a website URL, which, as I later
learned, was not even in the WHOIS database, so it was totally bogus.

They they saw stuff inside and asked what I do, I said selling
industrial equipment. Wow, they said, we need some equipment, "we have
CNC". Hm, I thought, roofers have CNC? I said no, right now I cannot
admit anyone. Then they asked if my truck was for sale and whether
they can rent space in my huge front parking lot.

At this point I was pretty aware that this is a suspicious situation,
they look like Gypsies, have a Gypsy accent, and act like Gypsies too,
trying to get the foot in the door, so I gently suggested that they
seek business elsewhere.

I was wondering if this is a unique experience or someone else has
seen that sort of thing.

As may others have said, your instincts are most likely correct. Nor is
this unique.

Taking a picture of them and their truck would be very effective. Nor
is the truck used for casing likely to be stolen, so its tag number will
work.

They likely don't worry about cameras inside the building, because their
MO is to collect data, then hit their target list and run - they will be
in the next state by the time the cops have gotten there, and the thiefs
are probably smart enough to wear ski masks while inside.


I have one relevant story. I was on holiday in Guadeloupe, and we had a
picnic at a state park. So we are doing the usual tourist thing, when I
notice a little knot of young local men and their motor scooters. Then
I notice that they seem to be very interested in photography ... well in
our camera bags, to be precise.

So I asked the tourist guy with the most impressive camera (with large
telephoto lens) to take a picture of the young men. The guy didn't want
to waste a frame, but agreed to go through the motions, and did. The
young men suddenly got on their scooters and left.

Joe Gwinn


PS. As for IR illuminators, the simplest dodge is to have some
incandescent ceiling "night lights" out in the open, for all to see,
nowhere close to the cameras. A 130 volt lamp run at 120 volts will
last forever, and generates plenty of IR. Being visible to the eye, it
will look like safety lighting, and won't be thought of as a IR
illuminator. JMG

On 1/16/2012 9:25 AM, Joseph Gwinn wrote:
....

PS. As for IR illuminators, the simplest dodge is to have some
incandescent ceiling "night lights" out in the open, for all to see,
nowhere close to the cameras. A 130 volt lamp run at 120 volts will
last forever, and generates plenty of IR. Being visible to the eye, it
will look like safety lighting, and won't be thought of as a IR
illuminator. JMG

The other dodge we've found helpful are the fake cameras--had a storage
garage at the church that was broken into several times; lost
lawnmowers, snowblower, etc., a couple of times.

After the fakes (and a couple real not placed so obviously) we've not
been molested again....

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