Missing hard wired security footage

[Bugbait]

This is concerning problems relating to hard wired security camera.

My cameras show video loss several times, coinciding with employees I suspect of stealing.
How can my cameras be blocked from recording them, then resuming afterward? Better yet..how can I block THEM from blocking the cameras??
One example is: cam1 shows them walking towards the door, leaving.
Cam2 should show them coming out. Instead it shows them already in the truck driving off.
There's clearly missing footage (time stamped, sometimes with almost 10-20 min gaps).
Is this footage retrievable??
Can I prevent this from happening again??
Thanks in advance!

 

[BradtheRad]

Do you set the camera to film continually nonstop?

Or does something trigger the camera to start filming? Motion detectors? Infrared detectors?

Is the power cord accessible? Can someone (an accomplice) plug/unplug it unseen?

time stamped

Does the timestamp tell you that footage was recorded then erased?
Or does it imply recording stopped, then started again?

 

[Bugbait]

Hi, the cameras are motion sensor, and film 24/7. The time stamp says (example--12:34, then the next snapshot could be 12:53). It has a bar at the bottom. Blue is normal, no motion. Red is activity. We were watching and while we were seeing them moving around, the camera's bar was blue. Sometimes white (assuming no power if white?).
The pair do split up sometimes, then a time gap, then we see them together again.
We are keeping close eye (and can hear) if anyone goes into the camera room...nothing. Plus, we are password enabled.
I can't figure out how this is happening. Sometimes the whole bar at the bottom is red, normal time stamping and we see there's bugs, trees,etc (or a moth sitting on the camera lense).
Other times, when red, we see them working, or one of them in that area. Time will go weird again eventually and it happens again.
I so confused with all of this. I hope I'm explaining it properly so as not to waste your time.
When watching over the 'time gaps' we can clearly tell afterwards that they've done something. At no time (if they're not there) does our cameras do this. They're always in the picture either before, after, or both. Then a gap, and it will continue filming as if nothing happened. I truly appreciate any help (and your time). Thank you.

 

[BradtheRad]

What happens if a cloth is thrown over the camera(s)? Does a camera turn off? Does one continue to film?
Can you point one camera at the one which is watching for trespassers?
Could an insider employee be assisting the trespassers?

This is farfetched, but could there be some handheld device which anyone can point at your camera, and knock it out of commission for a while? Example, a laser pointer. The light sensitive equipment might need time to recover.

Also farfetched... A remote control which flashes a code to the camera, instructing it to turn off for 20 minutes? This would require specific information being obtained from the manufacturer or someone in the know.

Unfortunately you may need to install additional security equipment. Switches under mats. Light beams at doorways. Etc.

 

[Bugbait]

Thanks for your advice, BradtheRad! Although far-fetched..it's looking more like that may be the case.
Was watching about an hour ago the footage of them working last night. When they were getting ready to leave, we see one of them (who we believe may be using his phone against the cameras somehow) walked around a big enclosed area, which is all covered by cameras. He went out of camera view..but the next camera didn't see him. His partner, at the same time, was seen walking across an open area. Magically, this person literally vanished half way across.
There is video loss at this time, according to the cameras.
My partner believes they're using a phone somehow.
Wouldn't a laser just disrupt the views, but not stop recording?
It's something that they are extremely confident will not let them be seen. They're literally waving at the cameras a short time later..rubbing it in our faces that the cameras won't stop them.
I'm phone app stupid. Are there phone apps that allow this to happen?
My partner is very confident that the suspects did not go into the camera room..yet this still happened while the room was being monitored.
Im at a loss. How much does one spend to catch someone? We've spent 4 grand on 8 cameras. It's beginning to feel like we need lessons from James Bond.
It's a good thing we love a challenge, as this is testing our very last nerve.
I asked these questions on another site and was told there are only3 ways it can happen.
1--turn off at switch on wall
2--turn off breaker that controls that area
3--unplug cable from behind control box
Is this true? If it is true, and that room is being monitored..it doesn't make sense. All of the above mentioned (switch, breaker, and control box) are in the same room.
Thank you for going coming on my insane bus..it's a crazy ride.

 

[E-design]

Why not use some additional cheap small backup wireless cameras but try to conceal it so that they are not aware of it. Hopefully, you can catch them in what they are doing or using on the other cameras to disable it. These small cameras can be hidden in a wall clock or something. Some vendors sell them already mounted in common consumer items.

- - - Updated - - -

I found this on Google:
http://www.naimark.net/projects/zap/howto.html

The general method of attack seems to be with laser, but in your case, it appears that the power is removed by some means.

Is it possible that they had access to the camera enclosure without you knowing? You get very small wireless operated switch modules that could easily be installed into the camera enclosure which they can activate to cut power to the camera.

Here is such an example:
**broken link removed**

I have used these modules before, and one of the modes is like a mono-stable mode where when you press the remote button, it will switch the relay for some time (that can be programmed ) and then switch back to its original state. This would be ideal to interrupt the power to a camera on demand.

Maybe get the company out that installed the cameras to come and inspect them to see if someone tampered with them internally.

 

[c_mitra]

Maybe get the company out that installed the cameras to come and inspect them to see if someone tampered with them internally.

Many of the security devices have backdoor codes (and that includes common software for elevators) and the original programmer put in place for service or maintenance purposes. It is not difficult to imagine that a smartphone, equipped with wifi and bluetooth can be used to control them. I would first call the manufacturer to find out whether any such codes are in place...

 

[E-design]

In his first post, he talks about a hard wired camera system, so it is not clear if there is also a wireless link associated with the system.

 

[ads-ee]

How getting a small webcam (those USB spy cams) and installing it in a corner of a ceiling tile (do this at night with your other surveillance system shut off, just in case they somehow have access to the video). Run the USB over to a laptop (or PC) that is in the ceiling too and let it continuously record the USB camera. Given a large enough drive you should be able to record for 24 hours or more straight. I'd also probably leave the computer off any internal networks and preferably accessible only from another room or wired into a router along with a second computer that you can use to remote into the hidden one. As neither machine is on your internal network the thief might never know to look or a tiny web cam poking out of say the AC vent or some other ceiling tile opening. Just make sure you clean up any ceiling tile particles that fall, better yet clean the area a day or two before installing the web cam so when you clean up after installing it there won't be anything suspicious about the area suddenly being clean.

If you want to be really devious, put in some decoy system that actually does record, so they think they caught on to you. I hope you catch these jerks.

 

[chuckey]

A camera captures an image and turns it into an electronic signal. A recorder then records it somewhere, VHS tape, hard drive, the cloud. . . . Perhaps they are remotely controlling the recorder (blue tooth, smart phone, infra red hand controller*. . . ). How are you accessing the images?
Frank
* stick some black tape over the pickup device.

 

[Bugbait]

E-design--your idea about using small cheap wireless cameras and hiding them..that really sounds like a winning idea. I've actually been to that website about lasers and that is why I'm sure they're not using lasers. Our footage isn't distorted..it's just GONE. Thanks very much!
(And, also, there are no wireless links associated with our system.)

c_mitra--I wasn't aware of the codes. I will definitely call and find out.
Thanks!

ads-ee--There is no actual ceiling space where this is happening. This area is a huge warehouse-like structure with just the steel frame, open ceilings. Other than that, your advice is helpful. Looking like I will definitely add some decoy/wireless cameras to back up my regular ones.

chuckey--Our dvr records onto a hard drive. Now is where I will really sound stupid (as if I haven't already)..what is the 'hand controller'? Is that the mouse we use? We view the footage on the screen, using a mouse (not a wireless one).

You guys have definitely given me some hope here! I'm going to check into some decoys/wireless cameras to add. All I should need is one really..put it into the area they're concentrating on (and stealing from). This sounds like a great idea. I'm left to wonder why people even have security cameras if jerks like these can get around them so easily??
Thanks to everyone for your excellent help, advice, and time!!