Going Away This Holiday Weekend? Hide Your Stuff

Caught on camera: Jet Ski stolen in broad daylight from Amityville driveway. (Oh, the horror!)

A bold thief made off with a $25,000 Jet Ski in broad daylight Wednesday, and the crime was caught on doorbell camera.

Chris Montalbano, the homeowner and victim, said he was stunned by how quickly and confidently the theft unfolded. “Pretty brazen, didn’t seem like they cared,” Montalbano said. “I believe it was a guy — had his hood on. Just real quick. They knew what they were doing.” 

Montalbano noted that the surveillance cameras mounted above his garage mysteriously went dark during the theft. He suspects the thief may have used a signal-jamming device to disable the system. more

This is not an isolated incident. There have been many stories recently about thefts and break-ins being aided by the jamming of wireless security cameras. If you are going away consider placing several covert cameras, with internal video storage within your home and looking outside from windows. They are inexpensive. Some are listed here.

Security Camera Catch: Checking Her Mate... with poison

A chess player has been suspended by the Russian Chess Federation and is reportedly facing time in jail after she allegedly tried to poison her rival at the chessboard during a tournament.

Amina Abakarova, a 40-year-old chess coach from Makhachkala in the Russian Republic of Dagestan, is accused of trying to poison her rival, 30-year-old Umayganat Osmanova...

Security camera footage shows the incident where Abakarova calmly walked over to the board where Osmanova was supposed to appear 20 minutes later. It was reported that she'd previously asked if cameras were in operation and been told that they weren't. She then smeared what is said to be potentially deadly mercury from a thermometer. more

Spybuster Tip #823 - The Car Thief Cell Phone Trick

Another reason not to leave personal belongings inside your vehicle. Memphis police say car thieves are using their cell phone cameras to look through tinted windows.

During a crime forum in the Cooper-Young neighborhood, Crump station officers said it was a new tool being used by the bad guys looking for items to steal.

They told the group it doesn’t matter how dark the tint is on your windows; when you put a cell phone in camera mode up to the windows, you can see right through them.

We (WREG-TV) put a cell up to a back window; sure enough, you could see everything in the backseat. more

Extra Credit: The reverse of this technique is how spy cameras, hidden behind black plastic, can see you when you can't see them. Learn more.