DIY License Plate Recognition
๐ DIY License Plate Recognition with 4K Cameras: Detect Stalkers, Log Repeat Visitors
๐ฏ If you’re a Targeted Individual, one of the most common forms of surveillance is vehicular tailing.
Unmarked cars. Repeated drive-bys. Unknown vehicles parked for hours.
With todayโs tech, you donโt need a police-grade ALPR system to track suspicious vehicles โ just a 4K camera, the right software, and a smart alert system.
This post walks you through building your own LPR system at home or in your car to detect license plates, alert you to stalkers, and build evidence over time.
๐ง Why License Plate Recognition (LPR) Matters for TIs
License plates are one of the few pieces of physical intel you can legally collect.
With a smart 4K camera system:
- ๐ธ You capture every car that passes your home
- ๐ง You analyze which ones repeat abnormally
- ๐ You log plate history over time
- ๐ You get alerted when a suspicious car reappears
This is pattern-of-life intelligence, and itโs vital for counter-surveillance.
๐งฐ Tools Youโll Need
๐ For Home-Based LPR
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| ๐ท 4K Security Camera | Look for Reolink, Hikvision, or Uniview (wide dynamic range) |
| ๐ป NVR or PC | Can be a small Linux box or dedicated NVR device |
| ๐ง Plate Recognition Software | OpenALPR (commercial), Plate Recognizer, or open-source OpenALPR |
| ๐ Alert System | Email, Telegram, or local push notifications |
๐ For Vehicle-Based LPR
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| ๐ท 4K Dash Cam (Rear-Facing) | Must support low-light night vision + 60FPS if possible |
| ๐ฑ Mobile Device | Android tablet or Raspberry Pi (for live processing) |
| ๐ง ALPR App | Plate Recognizer API, custom Python+OCR, or AI Dashcam |
| ๐ Alert System | Audio beep, phone notification, or LED trigger |
๐ง How It Works
๐ง Workflow
- Capture 4K frames
- Extract license plates via OCR
- Log plate + timestamp
- Compare against known or repeating plates
- Trigger alert if match frequency exceeds threshold
๐ Sample Home Setup
- Mount a 4K PoE camera pointing at your driveway/street
- Feed video to Blue Iris or Plate Recognizer
- Use AI to detect plates + time
- If a plate is seen >3x in 24 hours, push a warning to your phone
๐งช Bonus: Use a Reolink RLC-811A + Raspberry Pi running Plate Recognizer SDK
๐ Sample Vehicle Setup
- Install rear-facing 4K dash cam (e.g., Viofo A229 Duo)
- Run real-time OCR using:
- ๐ฑ A tablet + Plate Recognizer Mobile SDK
- Or record plates and analyze later from SD card
- Alert when the same plate appears behind you multiple times in a day
๐ฆ Want live alerts? Hook into IFTTT or Node-RED to trigger a buzzer or log the event automatically.
๐ Legal Note
โ You are legally allowed to record and log license plates:
- From public roads
- From your own vehicle or property
- For personal protection or evidence building
โ Do not share or publish plate logs without legal justification.
โ Do not use facial recognition โ only plate recognition.
๐ What to Watch For
| Red Flag Behavior | Description |
|---|---|
| ๐ Same plate daily | Could be casing or tailing behavior |
| ๐ Appears at unusual hours | Especially near midnight or during your commute |
| ๐ Same car, different plate | Could indicate stolen or swapped plates |
| ๐ Stalls near your property | Possible signal interception or recon vehicle |
๐ง Final Thoughts: Watch the Watchers
TIs often report feeling followed โ but now you can prove it.
By turning 4K video + OCR into an alert system, you:
- Take control of your perimeter
- Build a log of suspicious patterns
- Gain real-time situational awareness
๐ง Itโs not paranoia. Itโs a modern surveillance countermeasure.