Police Warn of ‘Growing Trend’ After Finding Camera Hidden in Bush Near California Home

Hidden surveillance cameras are believed to be used for planning burglaries.

Armed officers from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department on patrol near the scene of a crime in San Bernardino, Calif. on December 2, 2015. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

Southern California deputies discovered a hidden surveillance camera near a home in Chino Hills on March 2 after the resident reported seeing a portable power supply device in his driveway.

According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, a search of the area around the home uncovered the concealed camera in a bush.

The camera was camouflaged as a plant and connected to a power supply, the department reported on Sunday.

Deputies kept the camera as evidence and are investigating to see if they can identify who installed the device.

“The discovery of the camera is consistent with a growing trend observed by law enforcement agencies throughout Southern California,” the sheriff’s department said in a statement on Tuesday. “While the specific motivations for this camera’s installation remain unknown, it is believed to be used to surveil homes and establish a pattern of resident activity to plan burglaries.”

San Bernardino County sheriff's deputies located a camera found outside of a residence in Chino Hills, Calif., on March 1, 2025. San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department

Chino Hills residents were encouraged to report any suspicious activity to law enforcement.

Any residents who find a similar device are asked not to touch it and to contact the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department for assistance.

Other Incidents

In 2024, Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials also warned residents to be vigilant for high-tech burglary tactics following the discovery of hidden camera equipment in a Calabasas flower bed that was likely being used to monitor the homeowners’ movements.

Los Angeles sheriff’s officials noted last year that organized theft groups from South American—mostly Chilean and Colombian nationals—often used the cameras as they traveled from state to state to commit burglaries.

In June 2024, the Alhambra Police Department in Los Angeles County reported an attempted burglary after the victims found a camera hidden in the bushes pointing toward their home.

“Unfortunately, camouflage cameras are a tactic being used in residential burglaries,” the police department wrote on Facebook.

The cameras are strategically placed in discrete areas, such as shrubbery, and allow burglars to gather information about the homeowner.

In July 2024, a hidden camera was also found in nearby Arcadia. Local police said the camera was spotted in bushes in front of a residence and positioned to view multiple homes.

According to police, the camera was connected to a mobile hot spot, possibly to upload footage through a cloud-based application.