NYC Homeowner Finds Hidden Phone Camera Covered in Duct Tape Buried in Front Lawn
A New York City homeowner discovered a phone — covered in duct tape with only the camera lens exposed — buried in her front lawn. It is believed to be part of a growing trend in which burglars plant covert cameras to spy on potential victims and track when they leave.
According to a report by KTVZ 21, Mary Kehoe — who has lived in her home in Forest Hill in Queens, New York City for 35 years — discovered the hidden camera buried in the front lawn outside her home in late May.
The device appeared to be an Android phone wrapped in black duct tape, with only the camera lens exposed, suggesting it was set up to monitor and record her.
Kehoe called the police, who retrieved the device and discovered that the phone was connected to a charger buried in her lawn. Kehoe says she is bewildered and shocked that criminals had seemingly planted the hidden camera on her property.
“Why us? I had lots of things going through my head as to why they chose our lawn but realized we are in the middle of the block,” Kehoe tells KTVZ 21.
Burglars are increasingly using hidden surveillance devices to target homes, according to reports. Police say covert cameras are being placed in lawns to monitor neighbors’ routines and wait for the right moment to break in. These hidden cameras have been found in several places, including California, Massachusetts, and New Jersey.
Authorities explain that the camera equipment being used is often not sophisticated spy gear, but simple, easily available devices.
“It could be any type of camera that is digital and wireless. It could be cheap; it could be expensive,” Sergeant Vahe Abramyan of the Glendale Police Department tells the Los Angeles Times. “You can go on Amazon or go to Best Buy to get one.”
In late April, George Nguyen, a homeowner in West Covina, California, was watering the hedges in his front yard after dark when he noticed a light coming from one of the bushes. He discovered it was a hidden camera, disguised with fake grass, that had been placed on his property to monitor activity at his home.
