Residents of Los Angeles County, California, are being warned about a growing trend in which South Americans in the United States on limited visas are hiding hidden cameras in bushes and yards to watch for their next robbery.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office released images of a camera and battery that a local resident turned in after finding the surveillance equipment hidden in his flower bed.
According to the sheriff's office, the so-called South American robbery groups [SATG] They are typically made up of Chilean or Colombian citizens who are in the US on limited tourist visas.
“Highly organized criminal enterprises” go from state to state committing robberies and robberies.
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The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office warned residents to be wary of cameras hidden in their bushes, which thieves use to monitor homes. (Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office)
Their tactics, officials said, involve hiding surveillance devices, such as hidden cameras, in natural environments such as bushes and leaves.
The devices are strategically placed in the front or backyards of homes to allow culprits to monitor homeowners' activities as well as movement patterns.
The group uses technology that allows them to access cameras from remote locations, allowing them to conduct real-time surveillance, the sheriff's office said.
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The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office warned residents to be wary of cameras hidden in their bushes, which thieves use to monitor homes. (Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office)
Even before hiding devices, criminal organizations look for optimal locations that have minimal visibility.
The perpetrators then scrambled to deploy the cameras within minutes, the sheriff's office added, to minimize the chance of being seen by homeowners or law enforcement officers.
The sheriff's office urged residents to remain alert and watch for any suspicious activity or unusual objects in yards or bushes.
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The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office urged residents to keep an eye out for hidden cameras while doing yard work, as a new trend is for perpetrators to hide technology in bushes and yards to conduct surveillance before burglarizing homes. (iStock)
To do so, officials suggest that homeowners conduct regular inspections of the property and look for signs of tampering or oddly placed objects.
Law enforcement officials also suggest that homeowners install motion-activated lights, perimeter fences, or surveillance systems to prevent threats.
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The sheriff's office encourages anyone who finds anything suspicious to report their findings to local law enforcement officials immediately.
In Los Angeles County, residents can call 800-222-TIPS or visit lacrimestoppers.org.
