Again, an old story. When in high school in a small town, most of the kids played sports. Most of the parents/grand parents/friends went to the games, especially the home games. We had our shop (1/4 mile from house) robbed 3 times within 2 years. Sheriff did nothing, after first robbery, he recommended marking new tools with ID, suggested drivers license number. Replacements bought along with engraver that was used to mark all the tools with name and license number. After the second robbery, sheriff told Pa that driver license can't be used, that he should have used SS#. Pa was fit to be tied, but the replacement tools were all engraved/labeled with SS#.
I am confident that we would have robbed again and again since the sheriff was doing nothing. Pa took some pictures of some tire tracks and footprints (fresh snow is wonderful for capturing those). He asked around who might drive a rig with those type of tires. He knew the punks (helped their single mom with her farm more than once). I got to go along with him when he went to their house. The mom denied it, claiming her boys were such wonderful young men (drug dealers, ran with rough crowds). She called the boys in from the farm shop and when they saw Pa, they turned very pale.
She asked them if they had anything to do with the robberies, they were shaking and denied it sort of.. mumbling. The Momma told Pa that she would take care of it if that was okay with him. Pa replied, ok by me, but I need these boys to know that if anything happens to our house, shop, equipment, anything at all, he was coming after the boys and would handle the discipline personally. The boys were mumbling about not being able to control other peoples actions... Pa said, get the word out, nothing happens at the ranch, period.
I heard from some druggies at school that the Momma had beaten those boys to an inch of their lives (they were much bigger than she was, but she had the power over them). We never had anything stolen or messed with on that farm as long as Pa was alive.
I miss the old days sometimes. I sure miss Pa too, he hardly ever threatened anyone, but when he did, they surely did deserve it.
Perhaps some high mounted flood lights on motion sensors is the answer? If the place was lit up like daytime, those hidden cameras could capture what they need to without infrared flash.