Can I put a camera on my wall looking over

[revjames]

I live in a house which is detached and has a 12' stone wall around it. To the rear is the back alley of the next street. I regularly get rubbish thrown over, (entire recycling bins, big bags of dog excrement, waste food, you name it, it comes over) I have lived here nearly 3 years and have been patient but getting fed up now. I phoned the Environmental Health dept of the council only to be told its not their problem. Oh and they told me that once someone elses rubbish lands on my property its MY responsibility to dispose of it correctly. (I usually take it around to the lane and leave it against the wall. 

Can I fit a camera that looks down the lane so I can see who is coming out of their back gate and throwing the waste? Another idea I had was to attach a 'dummy' camera to a nearby BT pole which is right next to my wall (I know BT wouldnt allow it but if it stayed there long enough to be a deterrent) Standalone camera with an sd card no good as it would get nicked. 

Any ideas?

 

[Murdoch]

If I remember correctly you can’t have a camera facing directly at a neighbours property 

in in your case I think you may need a warning sign, but I’d fit the system and see what happens

 

[Doc Hudson]

Not much difference to the current trend of automatic doorbells etc. that pick up all sorts of people in the road and pavement on the front of a property. Not to mention all the dash-cams picking up all sorts of third party activity.  As Murdoch says you cannot pry or spy directly onto another person or their property. But if you are wanting to monitor your own fence adjoining public land, I would say you have as much right as anyone with a camera looking out onto their front drive & street. Strictly speaking I think you are supposed to have signage saying CCTV is in operation, but not sure if that relates more to businesses ref data protection or private homes as well?  https://www.ifsecglobal.com/video-surveillance/watch-cctv-signage-protect-enormous-penalties-gdpr/

Doc H.

 

[revjames]

Not much difference to the current trend of automatic doorbells etc. that pick up all sorts of people in the road and pavement on the front of a property. Not to mention all the dash-cams picking up all sorts of third party activity.  As Murdoch says you cannot pry or spy directly onto another person or their property. But if you are wanting to monitor your own fence adjoining public land, I would say you have as much right as anyone with a camera looking out onto their front drive & street. Strictly speaking I think you are supposed to have signage saying CCTV is in operation, but not sure if that relates more to businesses ref data protection or private homes as well?  https://www.ifsecglobal.com/video-surveillance/watch-cctv-signage-protect-enormous-penalties-gdpr/

Doc H.

Its a back lane so all you would see is an alleyway and peoples back gates.

 

[UNG]

Always find this a very grey area while you may be in breech of data protection laws it never stops the police from asking if your cameras may have video recorded of an incident whether you are compliant or not

Which begs the question has any case ever been kicked out of court because the video evidence presented was gathered in breech of the GDPR laws

 

[binky]

I see no problem with what you propose provided the camera only sees the back lane - I have just put 2 CCTV cameras on my neighbours garage after it was burgled. 

 

[revjames]

Thanks I do have a hemispherical camera case and may just put that up one dark night with a couple of warning signs on the wall.

 

[Sharpend]

Rev just do it, the only thing you can’t do is direct the camera onto someone else’s property. If it’s a public alley then you’re doing a public service for the police! Signage should be put up but who’s to say someone hasn’t pulled it down? I used to have a camera facing onto a public car parking where I lived and didn’t bother with signage, if they couldn’t see the camera which wasn’t obstructed that’s their problem! 

 

[Doc Hudson]

Always find this a very grey area while you may be in breech of data protection laws it never stops the police from asking if your cameras may have video recorded of an incident whether you are compliant or not

Which begs the question has any case ever been kicked out of court because the video evidence presented was gathered in breech of the GDPR laws

Absolutely!  If you monitor any of the various social media neighbourhood platforms, (facebook, nextdoor), or youtube etc, barely a day goes by where someone isn't posting a video of some suspicious activity around their property, or on their commute to/from work. And as you say the Police seem to have a standard message to post after all sorts of events along the lines of  Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or who has CCTV or dashcam footage please contact 'xyz', quoting incident 'abc' .  The statistic is often banded around that the UK has more cameras per population than most other countries and I think its the exception to the rule to actually not be in view of one or more cameras monitoring you. It would be interesting to know if anyone has been prosecuted over a domestic CCTV system? 

Doc H.

 

[UNG]

If you are installing CCTV for general surveillance or to gather evidence it may be worth having a look at the Home Office documents here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cctv-guidance 

With most police forces now having online crime reporting web pages where you can upload dashcam video of road traffic offences or any other offences for that matter

it is definitely worth reading the documents in the link so any video is stored correctly

 

[revjames]

This is what I came up with, purely ornamental :innocent  

My son says its too big and conspicuous and would only cause more problems...

 

[NozSpark]

they wouldn't miss that.... In fact I think I can see it from my house!!!!! 

 

[Doc Hudson]

 In fact I think I can see it from my house!!!!! 

I am confident every forum member could see that, even whilst sitting in their shed at the bottom of the garden! I sense a forum competition on the horizon; The best phone camera image of the Rev's fence camera taken from your bathroom or second bedroom window. (Front door images not acceptable).  We just need to check if CK Tools  could organise a box of yellow wall-plugs as a prize? 

Doc H.

 

[ProDave]

I would start with a dummy camera case and a "Warning CCTV in operation" sign very prominent on your wall.  That alone may stop the problem (or move it which as far as you are concerned is solved)

 

[NozSpark]

I would start with a dummy camera case and a "Warning CCTV in operation" sign very prominent on your wall.  That alone may stop the problem (or move it which as far as you are concerned is solved)

I'm sure that I have an old (faulty) Dome camera and a sign that you can have if you're ever down my way Rev 

 

[Tony S]

This may come as a silly suggestion, talk to your neighbours and find out if they have any objections to cameras. They may back you if they have the same fly tipping problem.

You never know, they could even follow your lead.

 

[revjames]

Might ask the question. I think my creation is a bit big awould stand out like a sore thumb and knowing my luck, a proper camera would pick me up installing my dummy set up on BTs pole!

 

[apprentice87]

You can video or photograph ANYTHING YOU LIKE in a public place..

do not just take my word on it..

https://www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q717.htm

john..

 

[Tony S]

It depends what you do with an image. The Designs, Patents and Copyright act (1988) was revised following an American court case where a street shot was used improperly.