Thieves target unoccupied homes for theft in Los Angeles and Orange County using hidden surveillance cameras

Thieves in Los Angeles and Orange County are now using hidden cameras to target unoccupied homes in California for theft. Criminal rings from South America as well as local gangs are waiting until a home is unoccupied before conducting smash-and-grab home robberies.

Home security cameras benefit the police and homeowner by providing video evidence of the thieves while alerting the owner to break-ins, but Wi-Fi jammers that cost about $10 are effective in disabling wireless security cameras. Smart homeowners are switching to wired security camera systems that reduce the time thieves have before the police arrive.

In numerous cases this year, thieves are now camouflaging tiny, wireless surveillance cameras and lithium-ion battery packs to look like fake leaves or rocks, then hiding these around target properties to monitor homeowners' every move. These cameras are often sold for less than $5 and can be smaller than a cube of sugar. Some models transmit images over cellular connections. This allows break-ins to occur with quick precision when the occupants are out, avoiding armed homeowners.

Cameras have been found in Chino Hills, Crowne Hill, Glendale, and Santa Ana across Southern California. Smart thieves will naturally remove their cameras after home thefts, and police are not trained to literally look under every rock nearby when investigating an ordinary home break-in, so how widespread the usage is remains unknown. However, even formerly safe cities have seen a sharp increase in home robberies lately. For example, Irvine police noted in March that 34 home robberies had occurred during the past 35 days. Unfortunately for the law-abiding homeowner, it is illegal to use a cellular/Wi-Fi signal jammer in America to counter hidden surveillance cameras.

Homeowners should look for hidden devices when walking the grounds and ensure their homes have the basics installed to protect against break-ins. These include ANSI Grade 1 deadbolts and metal strike plates with long screws on all doors as well as security laminates for all windows, including upper-story ones, to slow and deter thieves. Use hardwired home security systems with cameras pointed at all entry points and the entire yard.