Pop and cracker thieves

[hypernova]

I've worked at Kaivac for 7 years...Long ago someone kept thieving my cans of soda.  Happened once every few weeks.  Very frustrating.  I had a feeling who it was, but could never prove it.  Eventually he left, and lo and behold, the thieving stopped.

Well, a few years ago, we hired a group of new people in a short span of time.  And my stuff's disappearing again, although this time, it's only once every, say 2-3 months.  It's always been my cans, 1 each time, but it's been happening.  Then yesterday, for the first time, this person lifted my pack of cracker sandwich things.  Now maybe two times, I MIGHT have been wrong, but all the other times, i KNOW these things were stolen.  I KNOW these crackers were taken.  100% sure I brought them in.  It's a daily ritual.  Hell, on the car ride, they fell behind the seat and I had to pick them back up as I departed the car.

I have my suspicions on who it is.  Heck, I've even called him out on it when I saw him drinking one of my cans of pop.  It was an RC cola.  Turns out during lunch, he had one and brought it back with him.  However, in his trash can is my empty can of RC, (and the stolen items, when located, are always in his trash can.)  Now I think he drank mine, then got a hankering for some more, then bought a can.  I mean, come on.  What a freaking coincidence.  Never do I see another soul drink an RC, except on the exact day, within hours of me having mine stolen.  Since then, I have yet to see him drink another at work.  Argument was heated for a couple minutes.  Since I had no solid proof, I forced myself to apologize against my own will to him.  I got nothing.  Unless I catch the person in the act, I've got nothing to go on.  Trash cans aren't solid evidence.  Everyone has access to everyone else's cans. 

I've got my reasons to be suspicious of this guy.  He's a bit of a liar, likes to make up crazy stories to see if you'll believe him, then come out and say he's joking.  I think this might be a joke to him, to see what I would do, without never admitting to the deeds.

The other people in the company just don't seem the part.  He's really my only suspect.  Sure it MAY be someone else.  If I imagine hard enough, I can see a few select others do it, but it just doesn't make sense to me, as they're good people.

Anyway, to my point.  I want to have a camera of some sort.  Initially, I wanted a normal security camera, but that seems so expensive.  We're talking only $.25 per theft.  But it's the damn principle of the matter.  Someone's stealing my stuff, and that pisses me off!  If I want my Welch's grape pop one day, expecting it, and it's gone, it makes me angry!

Then today, I thought, what about a webcam, with some recording software.  Webcams are relatively cheap, and the software is as well.
My questions are these:
1.  What is a good, cheap webcam, with decent resolution?
2.  Assuming I have this running 10 hours everyday, what kind of disk space will these files take up?  (No sound, one file per day, being erased after two days, so a max of two files being on the pc at once.)
3.  What format provides the best resolution for the smallest file size?  Options look limited to wmv, avi, etc.

Any answers?  Anyone use any kind of setup like this with good results and can share their experiences?

[TOK]

Can't help you with the webcam idea. I'd spray some mace on the crackers. 

[MikeDeuce]

Or laxatives... just don't go handing them out if you do that, though. Ooh ooh, drill a hole in the bottom of a can, drain it and fill it with "apple juice" and plug it back up. Although that might get you shot...

We had a regular "food thief/thieves" (official title) at my office and security or HR (not sure who) caught him and his employment was terminated, as I understand it. Hasn't been a problem since then.

What if you put it in a paper bag with your name on it? The inconvenience and risk of taking a bag out with someone elses name clearly on it might deter casual thieves. It's non-confrontational in the least... Unless you want video evidence so you can embarass the person... heh.

I have no experience with it, but I like the idea of something like this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16830106132

Wireless, does motion detection with email alerts, 640x480 res, etc.  Not sure if it could do a low fps capture mode, but I imagine there has to be something like that.

[SirPeale]

Want to prove it?  Mark the cans.  On the bottom, where it's not obvious.  But make it make sense, like "THIS CAN BELONGS TO HYPERNOVA".  And if you see him drinking your soda, when he tips it back you'll know one way or another.

Crackers...no idea.

[hypernova]

I think this person is wising up, and getting rid of the evidence somehow.  He might be taking whatever item on a break, and then throws it out.  As far as I can tell, no one is doing it at the warehouse.  No one has EVER seen anything.  They're doing it covertly when no one is watching, so they're cautious.

Obvious idea, peale, but unfortunately, same rule applies, unless I catch them with the can in their hand, then I've got nothing to go on.

My only option is to catch them taking the can.

[AtomSmasher]

Put a note on the can saying that you have been dropping each can in the toilet before putting them in the fridge and are having a good laugh at the fact someone has been drinking from those cans.

[NightGod]

Is the food stored in a common area or in your cubicle? Err...do you even have a cubicle? If you have one and are storing it in, say, a common fridge, buy a cheap cooler bag and keep the stuff in a drawer in your cube, preferably a lockable one.

If you don't have one, where are you planning on setting up the webcam without everyone and their sister's dog knowing about it?

[cdbrown]

You'll probably need the manager's approval to do something like setting up a webcam.  Otherwise you might be the one on the unemployment line.

[MaximRecoil]

Logitech webcams can be set for motion detection, so they only record when there is movement in front of them. I don't know if all Logitech webcams can do that, but both of mine can; and maybe other brands of webcams can too. That would save a lot of space on the file.

[RayB]

Put a note on the can saying that you have been dropping each can in the toilet before putting them in the fridge and are having a good laugh at the fact someone has been drinking from those cans.

Screw webcams. Atomsmasher is on to something though... Do you have a portable camcorder?

Put a small mark on a can to identify it.
Video tape yourself dunking the can into a dirty toilet. Make sure to show on the camera the can is marked.
Then let the can get stolen. Later that day, start up a conversation with that guy... Something like "hey remember when you I thought you took my soda? Well I came up with a scheme to catch the guy who is..."
Show him the footage of you dunking the can in the toilet.
Hopefully he will have drunk the soda by then...

Of course, this COULD motivate a retaliation on his part. 

Other ideas: invisible ink on the can. You need one of those small portable black-lights to see the ink. ($8 at Walmart). And then the ink could get on to lots of other things he touches too... Maybe not a good idea...

Or rub something really nasty tasting (but clear) on the top...

Of course in the end you will come off as a nutcase for going through all this trouble over a can of soda.

[ChadTower]

Want to prove it?  Mark the cans.  On the bottom, where it's not obvious.  But make it make sense, like "THIS CAN BELONGS TO HYPERNOVA".  And if you see him drinking your soda, when he tips it back you'll know one way or another.

Crackers...no idea.

Mark it with slow setting superglue on the lip.

When dude is walking around the office with a can on his face, you'll know who did it.

[hypernova]

Everyone seems to miss the fact that this only happens once in a long while.  While everyone's ideas are humorous, and potentially humiliating, they just aren't feasible.  Hell, one day, I may forget which pop is which, and touch the tainted one.

You'll probably need the manager's approval to do something like setting up a webcam.  Otherwise you might be the one on the unemployment line.

He'll be fine with it.  Got a good supervisor.  He's just kinda powerless to do something about it.  Company's not too concerned about 25 cents here and there.

If you don't have one, where are you planning on setting up the webcam without everyone and their sister's dog knowing about it?

It's a warehouse, with 15-20 ft high ceilings.  I have access to the warehouse at any time, since I have a key and am privy to the security system code.

Is the food stored in a common area or in your cubicle?

The fridge is for everyone, in an unusual place.  My stuff is always on the door of it.  We have cameras now, but they aren't pointed towards the fridge.  While they may not mind me moving the field of view on one of the cameras, I just don't know how long it would take for them to do it again.  So moving a camera for weeks and weeks isn't a viable option. 

Later that day, start up a conversation with that guy... Something like "hey remember when you I thought you took my soda? Well I came up with a scheme to catch the guy who is..."

Again, he's my prime suspect.  Can't prove it yet though.  If I ever find the culprit, it may very well blow my mind with whom it really is.

[DrewKaree]

Whatever dude   If I knew it was that big a pain in the ass to you, I'd have just given you the quarter instead of dropping the cans in the toilet when I didn't feel like drinking your lousy soda






 

[ChadTower]

So all this ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- is because every couple of months someone steals a fifty cent soda and a package of Saltines?

 

[jbox]

Mark it with slow setting superglue on the lip.

When dude is walking around the office with a can on his face, you'll know who did it.

       

[SOAPboy]

Want to prove it?  Mark the cans.  On the bottom, where it's not obvious.  But make it make sense, like "THIS CAN BELONGS TO HYPERNOVA".  And if you see him drinking your soda, when he tips it back you'll know one way or another.

Crackers...no idea.

Mark it with slow setting superglue on the lip.

When dude is walking around the office with a can on his face, you'll know who did it.

Yeah whats he going to do. Report that he was stealing peoples ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- and got caught in the act?

[Vigo]

King Randor took it!!!! I just know it!

[Vigo]

[Ninten-doh]

So all this ---Cleveland steamer--- is because every couple of months someone steals a fifty cent soda and a package of Saltines?

 

Sometimes it's just about putting an a-hole in his/her place.  We did the ex-lax brownie thing in college to catch someone eating other people's food in our house.  Came back from class to find our main suspect had spent the day on the crapper.   

DISCLAIMER - Please don't try this at home.  Professional stunt cooks made the brownies.  However, if you do, make sure to put lots of sugar to counter balance the bitter chocolate of the ex-lax.

[Vigo]

See, that's why King Randor is on the can!!!!!!!