A hidden camera found in neighborhood bushes has prompted police in Brea, California, to warn residents to check the landscaping around their homes.
The camouflaged device was discovered by a resident and appeared designed to blend into the surrounding greenery, according to the NY Post.
Brea Police said devices like this may be used by burglary crews to watch homes, track routines, identify valuables, and decide when to break in.
The unsettling part for homeowners is where the device was found. It was hidden in ordinary landscaping, the same kind of bushes, planters, and trees people walk past every day without giving them a closer look.
The Camera Was Hidden in Landscaping
Brea Police said residents recently found a camouflaged camera hidden in local bushes. In an official Instagram post, the department said these devices may be placed in bushes, planters, or trees so they blend into the landscaping.
A small device tucked into shrubs can be easy to miss during normal yardwork. It may look like debris, a garden object, or part of the plant until someone notices where it is pointed.
Police Say Burglary Crews Use Cameras to Track Routines
Brea Police said burglary crews typically use hidden cameras to monitor homeowners and learn when people leave or return. The department’s warning did not say who placed the device found in Brea.
Similar discoveries have been reported in other Southern California neighborhoods. ABC7 Los Angeles reported that hidden cameras had been found in bushes in Lakewood, with other cases previously reported in Palos Verdes Estates, Torrance, Chino Hills, San Marino, and West Covina.
Residents Were Told Not to Touch Suspicious Devices
Brea Police told residents not to touch, move, or disturb suspicious objects or devices.
The department said people should clear the area and call its non-emergency line at 714-990-7911 so officers can collect the device as evidence.
For homeowners outside Brea, the same kind of check can start with the places a camera would have a clear view. Bushes near front doors, side gates, driveways, garages, walkways, and backyard entries deserve a closer look when something appears newly placed, wired, camouflaged, or aimed at the home.