What you need is cooperative effort of neighbors to facilitate getting perpetrator arrested and charged with a crime. 90% of crime is committed by .001% or less of population. Take this one dude out of circulation and petty theft in a 5 mile radius will plumet. If law enforcement is too lazy to do their job after scumbag is caught red handed by a neighbor there's other ways.
I think I related this here not long ago but here's the way we handled what appeared to be a minor crime wave. Tools,tires,fuel and other things were disappearing and getting worse with time. After it became obvious sheriff was too busy to investigate, a few of us set up cameras similar to what you are considering. If someone was too far away to get there in a hurry when alerted,they called someone closer to go investigate. A couple of young teens were soon, caught but despite them naming who they were working for,the adults weren't arrested. Partly because underage are protected from subpoena to testify if parents so choose.
Things slowed down for a while then picked back up. I got an alert at locked gate 200 yards from a building where equipment and supplies are stored. When I arrived I took keys from his ignition,pistol off seat and turned his headlamps on. Right away he began running up the drive yelling get away from my *$@(! truck you *#@^. I yelled "hold-um",,,,,, we will be gone in a minute, we just stopped to whiz. With that the dogs were off down the drive barking and looking for what it is they need to herd. I don't think my dogs would attack a human but they will try to herd anything from a cow to fence post if I encourage them. And "push-um" causes them to ratchet it up. When he yelled that I better call "these &#@(* dogs off" I replied They aren't my dogs but I wouldn't "PUSH-UM",,,,,if I were you. By this time I'd used cordless drill to put holes in sidewalls of tires. Loaded dogs and we were gone. Early next morning I called sheriff to report a truck blocking access so that farm employees can't start working. Truck was towed and impounded. No more problems with things walking off.
