SCARSDALE, N.Y. (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) -- A Westchester resident found a surveillance camera hidden in their yard—a tactic now being used nationwide by burglars to case homes for break-ins.
The camera was found Sunday in Scarsdale, camouflaged in the landscaping outside a house on Bradford Road.
Scarsdale is one of the wealthiest ZIP codes in the country. Stately homes stand behind well-manicured hedgerows—a tempting target for burglars.
Scarsdale Police said they were immediately notified about the camera. They searched the surrounding area and found no other devices, but they've increased patrols throughout the community.
The department warned such cameras have become "a popular tactic by thieves nationwide to monitor opportunities for burglarizing homes."
Thieves have even use Wi-Fi jammers to disable security systems during burglaries.
Officials have warned burglary rings from South America are operating across the U.S. Their high-tech methods have been reported as far away as Southern California, and more locally in Florham Park, New Jersey, in June.
At the time, Florham Park Police Lt. Brian Ford told 1010 WINS that burglars will set up cameras to "watch the residents, to learn their patterns, before they actually do their burglary."
Ford said homeowners should look for devices like fake rocks and cameras placed in trees.
"They should know their own yards," Ford said. "They need to go out—you know, it's sad that we've come to this—but they need to go out and really just check their own property from time to time and make sure there's nothing usual there."
Scarsdale Polices said while news of the cameras can be "unsettling," homeowners can build a strong defense against burglaries. The department released a checklist for residents, including keeping garage doors closed, using exterior lighting, and installing a video surveillance system.