Hidden Cameras Prevent Crime

For many years, surveillance equipment was only available to government, law enforcement and private investigators. But since this technology has become more affordable and available to the rest of us, many people have discovered that hidden cameras provide effective protection against intruders, theft and abuse.

Who hasn't seen disturbing pictures of babysitter abuse or convenience store robberies on the news and crime shows? The good side of these pictures is the fact that they provide the powerful evidence victims need to not only identify the perpetrators but to effectively prosecute them as well.

Hidden cameras are small board cameras that are built into everyday objects. These objects can be anything! Hidden cameras can be placed in phones, clocks, smoke detectors, books and many other household items. You can even purchase camera components and create your own hidden camera! The camera can be wired directly to a recording devise or can be fitted with a signal transmitter that transmits to a receiver where the images can be viewed and/or recorded.

A standard wireless hidden camera can transmit images up to 1000 feet and high-powered wireless hidden cameras can transmit up to 2000 feet. This easily allows the viewer to locate the monitor and recording devise well away from the area being monitored. Additionally, there are "all inclusive" hidden cameras available now with a built-in DVR that records directly onto a SD card. Simply hook the camera to a TV or computer monitor with the RCA cable or remove the card and place it in the card reader of your computer for instant viewing!

The applications are endless...from moms watching kids in the playroom to bosses watching a clerk handle customers and money. Hidden cameras can provide proof of wrongdoing in a wide range of situations from a cheating spouse to a dishonest business partner or employee.

Store rooms, entrance or exit doors and stock receiving areas are all places that should be monitored but often are not. Store managers and clerks often get called away when deliveries are made, leaving open opportunities for theft.

Have you ever left your desk and upon returning got the feeling that things weren't quite right? A set of hidden camera desktop computer speakers would answer your concerns! How comfortable are you with just turning a new employee loose? Whether it's in a business setting or someone coming to your home, it's nice to have a way to ensure someone's integrity!

Maybe it's a kid that runs with your son or daughter...you know, the one that makes you feel a little uneasy. Do you have a gun case or liquor cabinet that you want to keep tabs on? Do you or someone in your family take prescription pain killers? This is a product you definitely want to keep tabs on! A hidden camera lets you know if snooping or theft is taking place.

Food preparation areas in restaurants are also often overlooked. Having been involved as an owner/operator of a small tavern many years ago, I can attest to the fact that having a hidden camera in our kitchen would certainly have been beneficial and would have stopped some activities before our losses mounted up!

We had a couple kitchen helpers (teenagers) who thought it was easier to throw away coffee cups and silverware rather than washing them; occasionally skipped washing potatoes before wrapping them to bake and threw meats away when they determined that it was too much trouble to put away!

We realized something serious was going on when we began running short of dinnerware on busy nights, had complaints of "gritty" potatoes with a dinner and had no lunch special because the meat had disappeared. Of course, when the helpers were questioned, we got the "uh...what?" response and it took quite a bit of sneaking around before actually catching them in the act.

Unfortunately for us, alot of business capital was wasted and spent again to replace what was lost. But in the bigger picture, the loss of good will with those who got gritty potatoes with their meal was much harder to calculate. First, the dinner is totally messed up. Someone was waiting while a meal was re-prepared as their spouse or friends ate. Second, that meal usually ends up being free...a business loss! And third, you have to hope that was enough to satisfy the customer and hopefully not lose their business in the future. But you could count on the fact that others heard the story and were possibly influenced as to whether or not to come to our establishment for dinner!

In addition, when something like half a prime rib or pork roast is pitched, you probably haven't even covered cost let alone make a profit. And in today's business climate, the ability to make use of every dime of profit available determines your ability to stay in business! And there are those people out there who are more than willing to take from you what you're not paying attention to!

The point of sharing this with you is the fact of how much easier it would have been to stop the problem before it got out of hand by having an "innocent looking" clock hanging in the kitchen, keeping a watchful eye over your employees while you're attending to customers!

When buying hidden cameras, there are several important considerations to keep in mind.

1. How will you power your hidden camera?
2. Will the images be of high quality?
3. How are images viewed?

Many hidden cameras can simply be plugged into an outlet and are good to go. However, when using a wireless hidden camera, you will need a battery or battery pack. It is important to understand what type of battery power you'll need before you make your purchase. Many batteries provide for a "one time" use and supply approximately 5 hours of power. When the power is depleted, you must throw it away and purchase another battery! This is expensive, impractical and destructive to the environment. You should look for rechargable battery packs that can supply your hidden camera with up to 12 hours of power! This will provide you with maximum recording time and savings that you'll enjoy!

To ensure that you will have high quality images transmitted by your hidden camera, it is important to purchase cameras with high quality lenses. An excellent choice is something called the CCD lens. The CCD (charged coupled devise) lens provides high resolution and is highly sensitive to light. This enables the hidden camera to accurately transmit images not only indoors but in outdoor and in low light conditions as well. There are cheaper lenses on the market but they will not provide the high quality images that CCD lenses do. Some hidden cameras also have a low lux feature that allows black and white transmission in almost complete darkness.

There are several options available for viewing images and they all start with the hidden camera transmitter. Cheap hidden cameras generally employ 1.2 GHz transmitters and recievers. It is important to understand that this 1.2 GHz equipment is NOT FCC approved for transmitting wireless video and the production and distribution of 1.2 GHz equipment may be subject to investigation. Therefore, always look for equipment that uses 2.4 GHz transmitters and receivers to ensure not only high quality image transmission but compliance with the law as well!

Hidden Cameras need to be connected to a viewing devise such as a DVR, VCR or a monitor. If you are using a wired camera, this is accomplished through the use of video cable ran directly to your viewing devise. With a wireless hidden camera, a built-in transmitter sends a video signal to a receiver. It is this receiver that is connected to your recording devise or monitor which provides your record of activity in the area that you are monitoring.

You should be aware that audio is not something that is included within the capacity of most hidden cameras. According to federal laws, audio should not be used in a surreptitous manner. This means acting or done in a stealthy manner.

So, by extension, audio recording devises hidden in a clock radio, for example, fall under these guidelines. Currently, audio with a hidden camera that is concealed in a common, everyday item is available only to law enforcement agencies. (Title 18, Section 2512)

When there are times and certain circumstances that you may feel the need to have conversations recorded, there are recorders available that will record room conversations. This additional evidence may further support any action you would be compelled to take against those who would harm you.

The exceptions to this rule would be baby monitors with video and a sound speaker and miniature cameras not enclosed within another object.

In conclusion, hidden cameras are highly effective monitoring tools that help you ensure that all is well within your home or business. They provide you with useful information that you can use for your peace of mind or for the prosecution of theft or abuse that may be uncovered. When you need proof...a hidden camera can provide it!

While hidden cameras cannot prevent a break-in in the same manner as an alarm system, that is often not the problem. When properly used, hidden cameras ensure the integrity of family, friends, co-workers, employees and others in situations where you may not always be available to watch what's going on.

Easy to use, portable and effective, hidden cameras provide personal and property protection and isn't that what we all want?