NSW Is it enough evidence?

[Cookie123]

I am trying to catch a car vandal, and the vandalism is occurring on public property.

I will be installing dashcams but will that footage be enough as it would only show the person walking up to my vehicle and acting susciously and not actually capture them in the act.

If I come back to a vandalised car and have footage of them acting suspiously, would it be enough for them t be charged and have a criminal record?

Thanks in advancce.

 

[Adam1user]

I am trying to catch a car vandal, and the vandalism is occurring on public property.

I will be installing dashcams but will that footage be enough as it would only show the person walking up to my vehicle and acting susciously and not actually capture them in the act.

If I come back to a vandalised car and have footage of them acting suspiously, would it be enough for them t be charged and have a criminal record?

Thanks in advancce.

Hi, from what I read and understand, this will not be enough to have the other party charged (and have a criminal record), but it may give cause for the police to investigate and capture the suspected person through their work.

Hope this helps,

 

[Cookie123]

Hi, from what I read and understand, this will not be enough to have the other party charged (and have a criminal record), but it may give cause for the police to investigate and capture the suspected person through their work.

Hope this helps,

HI Adam1user, thanks for your reply. Could you please explain what you mean about police investigating and capture the person through their work?

Thanks

 

[Clancy]

He means the police will send an officer to hide out nearby and catch them in the act.

 

[Cookie123]

Do the police actually do that though? Would love it if they did. I would think that there resources are already very stretched and they wouldnt have time to do things like that..

 

[Clancy]

Do the police actually do that though? Would love it if they did. I would think that there resources are already very stretched and they wouldnt have time to do things like that..

They seem to have plenty of time for handing out petty traffic fines all day.... so i would expect the chance to catch a real criminal would be jumped at! ..... No, no, i do not expect that at all. Petty traffic fines are more important, sorry.

 

[Adam1user]

HI Adam1user, thanks for your reply. Could you please explain what you mean about police investigating and capture the person through their work?

Thanks

Hi, Happy to be of help, what I mean, if you video shows enough footage that can interest the police, they may do their work and capture the suspected person, this does not mean it will happen, this will all depend on what you report and the video you show. Their work may include surveillance of the person and may catch the person in the act.

 

[Tim W]

When you say

...be charged and have a criminal record...

what you really mean is "be successfully prosecuted, be found guilty, and be convicted",
perhaps of an offence such as "Malicious Damage".

Thing is, for somebody to be successfully prosecuted for an offence in the ballpark of "malicious damage",
the prosecution would need to show beyond reasonable doubt that it was
the person who was filmed who did the damage.
Being filmed in the act would help.
By comparison, merely being filmed in the vicinity, while it might raise suspicion,
doesn't prove much at all.

All of which suggests to me, missing facts missing, and with all the unstated
ifs, buts, maybes, and unlesses not allowed for, that the answer to

If I come back to a vandalised car and have footage of them acting suspiciously, would it be enough...

is "probably not".

 

[Cobra1972]

Please don't listen to some people in this forum, they are way too cynical and bitter. Unfortunately, that means that they make many unproductive posts, that doesn't help anyone.

Anyway....

When you make the report, the footage would certainly help the investigation and any 'Overt Act' may be captured. As far as surveillance, police can certainly do this (Not traffic Police, usually from one of the many other departments that for part of the police force) However, police have many other options available to them i.e. They may be able to look for local CCTV.

 

[Tim W]

I'll summarise my post above.
For the benefit of some readers, I'll try and use little words.

If this

and not actually capture them in the act.

is all you've got, then no, it probably won't be enough for a conviction.

For an answer to the next logical question ("...But why wouldn't it be enough?"),
refer to my post above.