The authors propose a method of detecting intruders around power line towers using a new image processing technique. With current technology for outdoor imaging, a varitey of factors may lead to erroneous image processing, such as changes of background brightness, rustling of leaves, mist, rain, intrusion of small animals, etc. These problems were solved as follows. With this method, a change of image, which may indicate an intruder, is first detected using a histogram of the brightness difference between a reference image and an observed image. The detected differences are further analyzed to determine whether they represent a human intruder by evaluating a restraint based on the number, the area, the dimensions of the circumscribing rectangle and the center of gravity of the detected portion. Field testing confirmed the method's usefulness, with a successful intruder detection rate of 82%.