Southern California homeowners are being warned to check their bushes, flower beds and trees after deputies discovered hidden surveillance cameras allegedly planted by burglars scouting homes in an upscale LA suburb.
The creepy devices were found in San Dimas this week after a string of residential break-ins rattled the quiet community east of Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Investigators said deputies responding to a burglary Tuesday on the 800 block of Via Gregorio uncovered a hidden camera tucked inside bushes across from the victim’s home.
“The device consisted of a hidden camera connected to a portable hotspot and an external battery pack,” according to a sheriff’s department bulletin. The camera is thought to have allowed the suspects to monitor the property remotely in real time.
In another unsettling discovery, a landscaper working in the same neighborhood reportedly stumbled upon a second disguised device while trimming hedges about a week earlier.
“That device consisted of a cellular phone connected to a power bank and wrapped in green camouflage tape with artificial plants attached to it,” the bulletin stated.
Authorities warned that the hidden cameras are often concealed in bushes, planters, trees and flower beds to blend into the landscape while suspects study the daily routine of homeowners. The sheriff’s department said burglars may use the devices to “observe when residents leave their homes, identify valuables, or determine the best time to commit burglaries.”
Photos released by deputies show the makeshift spy setups camouflaged with fake greenery and tape in an apparent attempt to avoid detection.
Residents are being urged to regularly inspect their property for suspicious devices, trim overgrown bushes, monitor home security cameras and keep outdoor areas well lit at night.
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