Neighbors in one San Dimas community are on edge after hidden surveillance devices, dressed up to look like part of the yard, were discovered across the neighborhood this week. Deputies say the gear is tied to a string of residential burglaries. One camera was found tucked into bushes across the street from a home, powered by an external battery and a portable hotspot, and a landscaper later uncovered a second device while trimming vegetation. The finds were unsettling enough that the San Dimas Sheriff's Station pushed out a public safety advisory urging residents to stay alert.
What deputies found
Deputies responding to a residential burglary in the 800 block of Via Gregorio found the first camera stashed across from the victim's home, according to NBC Los Angeles. The outlet reports the device was hooked up to a portable hotspot and an external battery, and investigators believe setups like this are used to watch potential victims and help burglars time their moves.
"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 Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a bulletin, as relayed by NBC Los Angeles. The bulletin added that the cameras are usually tucked into bushes, planters, trees, or flower beds where they blend in with the landscaping and are easy to miss on a casual glance.
A regional trend
What is happening in San Dimas fits into a broader Southern California pattern in which organized burglary crews, sometimes referred to as "burglary tourists," have been using covert cameras to scope out homes. ABC7 has reported on similar hidden devices in other communities and noted that authorities have linked some incidents to organized rings that rely on the cameras to time their break-ins. Law enforcement officials are urging residents to keep an eye on their own yards and report anything that looks out of place.
How residents can protect themselves
Officials recommend trimming overgrown hedges, taking a close look at planters and trees for unfamiliar objects, and considering visible home-security cameras and solid exterior lighting to make homes less attractive targets, as reported by CBS Los Angeles. For non-emergency reports or to hand over a suspicious device, residents can contact the San Dimas Station at 270 S. Walnut Ave. or by calling (909) 450-2700. Anyone who sees a crime in progress should call 911 immediately. The department says community tips are crucial for spotting patterns and collecting evidence in these kinds of cases.
