Southern California residents have been warned about potential robbers allegedly using security cameras to watch people.
There have been two reports in March of hidden cameras being found outside of Southern California homes, which have sparked concern that they are being used to track people’s movements and routines in order to determine when a good time to break into the house would be.
Why It Matters
Three people were arrested in Southern California last September for setting up a hidden camera outside of a Temecula property. Despite these arrests, the behavior appears to be ongoing.
Cameras are intended to be used by homeowners to keep their houses safe. However, in some places, including LA and other Southern California towns, the cameras appear to now be being purchased to stalk homeowners and gain information on their house.
“Security cameras are so prevalent and affordable nowadays that criminals are adding them to their arsenal,” security expert and managing editor at Safehome, Rob Gabriele, told Realtor.com.
Newsweek has contacted the LAPD via email for comment.
What To Know
On March 9 the daughter of an Encino couple, who wished to remain anonymous, found a hidden camera outside of her parent’s property, as reported by KTLA.
She was walking her children to her parents’ house when she spotted an object hidden in the bushes by the house. Upon closer inspection the object was a camera attached to wires. A second object, which the family believes is a hard drive, was found nearby.
The daughter told KTLA: “We’re all shaken and we couldn’t believe that they are watching my parents’ activity here, and God knows how long it’s been there and they didn’t even notice.
“They want to see probably when my parents are not home, the car is getting out of the garage, basically they see if you’re not here, that’s a good opportunity for them to come and break in.”
They are not the only Southern California residents to have found a hidden camera on their property this month.
On March 2 a San Bernardino County resident called the local sheriff’s department after spotting a device painted to look like a plant to fit into the property’s landscaping.
In photos released by the Chino Hills Police Department, the camera and attached power device were wrapped in leaves to blend in.
Following the incident, authorities said: “If a similar device is found, do not touch it and contact the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department for assistance.”
These cameras are not only being found in LA. Hidden cameras have been found in other, often affluent, parts of the country, such as the wealthy New York suburb of Scarsdale.
What People Are Saying
Kirk MacDowell, founder of MacGuard Security Advisors, told Realtor.com: “It’s disconcerting. What these bad actors are trying to do is learn the habits of individual homeowners to make a determination of when to break in.”
What Happens Next
Authorities have urged people who may be concerned about these devices to keep their homes well lit, to ask a trusted landscaper or gardener to check the garden for hidden cameras, to secure their WiFi from intruders, and to set up their own security cameras to catch any bad-actors.
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