A camera was found hidden in bushes Monday night outside a home in Alhambra where an attempted burglary was reported after a series of similar discoveries around Southern California that led to warnings from police.
Police responded to the burglary call in the 1900 block of South Primrose Avenue in the San Gabriel Valley community. The victim's neighbor found the camera concealed in bushes and pointing toward the home.
"Unfortunately, camouflage cameras are a tactic being used in residential burglaries," Alhambra Police said in a statement. "These cameras are strategically placed in discrete areas, such as bushes, to allow thieves to gather information about homeowners' daily routines to burglarize their homes."
Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC LA's News Headlines newsletter.
The victim's alarm company also notified the residents of an attempt to open a kitchen window earlier that day, police said.
The unsettling discovery has residents in the community feeling unnerved.
"There is no other reason why you would put a camera and monitor somebody’s home unless you have intentions of going in," said one Alhambra resident who wished to stay anonymous out of fear for their safety.
"I wish there would be a little bit more police patrol in the area," the resident said. "I guess I’m going to have to be talking to the neighbors about a tighter neighborhood watch."
Ruth Pedroza, who also lives in the city, said the discovery leaves her worried for her family.
"It's heavy on my mind now because my mother lives right next door," Pedroza said. "They are seniors her, and my dad, so of course I am protective of both of our properties."
Police recommended looking for unfamiliar objects in yards or any changes in landscaping that could conceal a camera, several of which have been found in Southern California neighborhoods in recent months.
Hidden cameras also have been found outside homes in Garden Grove, Glendale, Chino Hills, Lost Hills, Calabasas and other residential areas.
