Hidden_Video_Camera_Installation

Many

of us have heard or read the statistics – that employees steal

nearly

quarter of a trillion

dollars from their American employers

every

year, or

that

nearly two out of three business failures

are

directly related

employee theft,

or that a full third of all employees

are stealing from

their

employers at any

given time

For other people, it’s a personal issue that makes them first consider

installing

a hidden video

camera system. These people have had to

contend with

vandalism and theft in and around their

homes or

vehicles.

Some are victims

thieving maid

, snooping landlord

or former

spouses.

Law enforcement

officers frequently require

proof, in the form

of videotaped evidence, before

they'll get

involved.

Where the typical overt security cameras serve as

deterrence,

Blue

Heron

Investigations'

covert

(hidden) cameras document

what

happens

when the

eves and vandals don't think they're being

watched.

But we’re rambling on aren’t we? By the time people come to a site

like

this,

they already know what

they have to do. Statistics and

stories don’t

matter.

And for many of these people, the situation’s

slightly different

anyway. We

invite you to read through some of the

FAQ’s below to find

answer

to a

question you may have. Don’t

hesitate to visit our other

FAQs

link (on the left

side of this page)

for

other, non camera specific,

questions

you may have, or

just contact

us for additional information

–

we'll be here

to help

(This image represents a "typical" covert camera installation of ours, if such a thing exists. The

client

complained of unauthorized

entry to her residence via the basement door. She was

adamant

that we not

introduce any foreign objects into the environment.

We installed the video

camera into

one of the devices

shown in this picture (each of which faces the door the intruder

used) that

was

already there. Because the

intruder entered when it was dark, the scene was

illuminated by

infrared light (invisible to the

human eye)

which was also hidden from view and

was placed outside

of this image. Now that you know that there is a

video

camera in this picture,

can you locate it? We

can't, and we're the one that put it there!)

FAQ

’S

Are these the type of cameras you see in convenience stores and

other

shopping center

No. While we may use CCTV cameras on very rare occasions, we only

when we can fit them

with pinhole lenses and can conceal the

camera

bodies

from view. In short – if you can see our

camera,

we’ve failed.

Can you install a camera outside?

Yes. About half of our cameras are installed outdoors. They have

recorded

acts of vandalism, theft

and trespassing.

I’m an employer, is the camera installation considered part of an

outside

investigative

process?

No. So long as we do not offer to review the videotapes or

investigate an

employee, this service

does not qualify as an outside

investigative

service

–

we are simply installing or selling the

equipment to you to

document

future

activity in a given area for your

security needs (as

opposed to

investigating

past events). This is

important if you're

concerned about

FCRA compliance.

Is this legal?

There are limitations of course, but the courts have generally given

employers

the right to monitor

their own premises. If you're a private

party, you'll want

to ensure that any adult residing in your

residence

aware of the presence of

the camera (if installed inside) or that

your

camera doesn't

unnecessarily

intrude upon your neighbors'

properties.

Since we can’t offer you legal advice, you may want to discuss the

specifics of

your case with your

attorney if you have questions

regarding

legalities

. We

won’t ever knowingly install a camera in an

area that we

believe to

be “off

limits”. After all, we have our own

business to protect.

Will your cameras record audio as well?

We’re certainly capable of recording audio, but are bound by law not

in most cases. There

are very few occasions where the

recording

audio

between two people is legal, such as when

one of

the people

being

recorded

has previously consented to the

recording (in

Minnesota). In

most cases

however, we do not record

audio.

What will you need from me?

We ask that our scheduled meeting take place at a time when it’s

possible

for

us to install the

camera system should you decide you

want

us to do

so. This

may take up to 3 hours in extreme

cases, and

you will

need to be

present at

that time. You will want this

installation to take

place when

all

your

employees have left for the

day if we're installing

the camera in a

business.

You should

have the

keys to locked areas of

the building.

I’ve seen some of those spy-type cameras advertised in a catalog

and

on-

line

throug

h the

Internet. What’s to prevent me from

purchasing

these

cameras

and saving a few bucks?

In a word – nothing. In fact, we use a lot of those cameras

ourselves. Do

aware however, should

you choose to go that

route, that there’s more

to it than

first meets the eye. For example,

you may

think a “wall clock

cam” would be

ideal for your situation

only to find out later that you need

to run

video and

power cables to

the device to power it and get the

signal. When was the last

time you

saw a wall clock with a bunch of

cables

running to the back of it? Or

you may think a chipboard

camera is

ideal

because of its tiny size, but

come to

find (upon opening the box) that

there’

s no

video or power

cables installed to

run the thing. Perhaps you’

impressed by the

claims of a

manufacturer of a

wireless device that

states

that a signal

will be transmitted “up to a quarter of

mile LOS”

only

to find

out,

through your own use, that the equipment in your

plant

generates so

much “noise” once turned on that the wireless transmitter

effectively

“muted”, or that the walls in

the building effectively stop

the

signal. Other

critical issues involve resolution, light sensitivity,

the

need

record the

image for prolonged periods of time, time and

date

stamp

super-

imposition, set-

up and programming of the

recording device,

special

power

requirements, cable runs and how

conceal them,

hooking

more than one

camera to a recorder,

etc. Certainly, there’s a

lot of

good

equipment out there

should you

decide to become a “do-it-

yourselfer”, we’

re just offering to

become

your “no hassle - headache

free” installer.

I’m no stranger to drill bits or ladders, and think I could install one of

these

systems myself.

But I don’t have a clue as to what’s required

insofar as

minimum light requirements, lux

ratings, resolution, best

cable

and power

methods etc. Can I just buy the equipment from

you

and do it

myself?

Yes. If you want to take care of the matter yourself,

feel free to give

call

to help you with your

equipment needs.

You'll be on your

own

insofar

as the

installation is

concerned, but we'll do the

harder

part of

choosing

the right

equipment for the job.

BLUE HERON INVESTIGATIONS

Minnesota's premier private detective agency

HIDDEN VIDEO CAMERA INSTALLATION