Room and spare batteries disguised in plants outside the house could be burglary tools, say officials

An observed resident of Chino Hills, who saw something strange on their alley, recently ended up calling the sheriff’s deputies who discovered a hidden room disguised as false plants.

The device found on March 2 is Similar to other equipment used by thieves who want to learn the programs of their victims, without having to keep a neighborhood.

The camera was equipped with a large portable battery, announced the sheriff’s department in San Bernardino County announced in a press release. A canon Lane resident discovered the portable battery, and the deputies found a two battery wrapped in bright green leaves, with a wire that fed in the room.

The deputies took the elements as proof and work to identify who installed the devices. Investigators say that rooms are part of a growing trend used by robberies, but have not provided other information about the case. It is unclear whether the device has managed to transmit data through a Wi-Fi signal or if the camera had a SD card that would ask the owner to recover the equipment to view the video.

Said the residents KTLA news station That thieves broke out in several houses last year.

Similar devices have appeared in several cities and neighborhoods in California and other parts of the country. Some of the devices are located in bushes, buried in front sites or placed in plants targeting a house.

The law enforcement forces were assigned At least one case in Glendale at a “theft tourism” ring, while other devices were not unrelated.

Anyone who has any case information can call the Chino Hills Police Department at (909) 364-2000.

Residents can adopt a proactive approach to fight that would be shatters using technology to enter houses:

• Make a practice to inspect regularly around the outside of your home and be aware of any suspicious activity in the neighborhood.
• If you discover a hidden room, immediately call the Local Police Agency to document and collect the device.
• Move from wireless to cable. Anyone who wants to discourage Wi-Fi blocking can ask the Internet provider or an electrician to pick up their alarm system, connecting it to their cable router.
• It may be wise to put electronic trackers in some valuables. The Los Angeles Police Department recommends Apple Air tags or similar trackers, which can be placed inside an object – such as a purse or jacket – and watched through a smartphone.
• Protect -switches. Residents can invest in a lock for electrical circuit boxes to discourage easy access for thieves who want to interfere with the alarm system.
• Make it harder to enter. The police recommend to anyone with a sliding door to place a metal bar on the bottom tracks to block it to open and install the lighting sensor for no one is at home.