Police say Arcadia homeowner finds hidden camera in front yard

ARCADIA, Calif. (KABC) – Arcadia police alerted the public after a hidden camera was found in front of a house.

Police responded to a report that a suspicious explosive device had been discovered in a front yard in the 1600 block of Oakwood Avenue around 8:21 p.m. last Saturday.

The homeowner found a camera and some equipment hidden in the bushes, police said. The camera was aimed at other houses in the area.

“Officers examined the camera and found no internal storage. However, a mobile hotspot was connected to the camera,” police said in a press release. “Based on this discovery, the camera appears to have sent footage to a cloud-based application.”

Authorities believe that burglar gangs are installing so-called “camouflage cameras” and then using the footage to target homes and collect information such as the residents’ daily routine.

The discovery in Arcadia is the latest in an alarming trend emerging across Southern California. Similar incidents were reported in Santa Barbara and Alhambra just last month.