I found a camera taped inside the AC vent in the master bedroom of the house I’m renting. I’ve been here since March. I called the police and am waiting for them now. I haven’t told the property manager yet. I checked the rest of the house for any other vents but didn’t find anything else. I’m just waiting for the police to come and see what happens next. Does anyone have advice on what to do?
I’d take lots of pictures of the camera before handing it to the police. You don’t want them to lose it, and it could help to remember what it looked like later. If there’s any serial number, model, or writing on it, get a shot of that too.
@Mika
I took a few pictures, and after reading this, I went ahead and took even more. Thanks for the suggestion!
Blaise said:
@Mika
I took a few pictures, and after reading this, I went ahead and took even more. Thanks for the suggestion!
If possible, you might also want to take a video of it. Show your apartment and walk over to the camera to get a look at it in the spot where you found it.
Blaise said:
@Mika
I took a few pictures, and after reading this, I went ahead and took even more. Thanks for the suggestion!
Make sure to avoid touching any areas that could hold fingerprints.
Was the camera wired? Did it have a power pack? Was there an antenna for wireless transmission? Any SD card in it? If so, could you copy it? Also, did you check your bathroom carefully?
I used to work in security and I wouldn’t trust the police to handle this in the best way. Be careful.
@Sage
It was a Blink camera, looks like the Blink Outdoor (3rd Gen) model. It’s wireless and has a two-year battery life. So, the people who put it there could be coming back with a hotspot to check it, but I’m not sure how it works. I didn’t touch it before the police arrived. It’s been removed now, so I can’t check it myself.
@Blaise
I have Blink cameras. They’re motion-activated. Once it detects motion, it sends a notification to the owner’s phone with a 10-20 second clip. If the owner wants more, they can use Live view. Battery life depends on usage, but heavy use can drain it faster. I think the battery might be dead and the camera wasn’t recording.
@Sawyer
I figured the battery was dead because I couldn’t see any lights behind the tape. The two-year battery claim seemed too optimistic. But I wasn’t sure about how this tech works. This info helps, though. Sadly, I don’t know if it was dead before I moved in, which is a bit unsettling. Do you think the camera can be traced back to the owner? Can the police contact Blink with a serial number to find out who owns it?
@Blaise
Yes, Blink cameras require the serial number to activate. So, the police could probably contact Blink to get details about the owner.
Sawyer said:
@Blaise
Yes, Blink cameras require the serial number to activate. So, the police could probably contact Blink to get details about the owner.
Thanks so much for that info. It’s really helpful.
@Blaise
The serial number is inside behind the battery. You register it through the mobile app. The camera can be disabled, and when it’s active, you can hear a click sound. Blink has night vision, but it’s not great. If the batteries are lithium, they can last two years depending on usage. The camera connects to a sync module that uses Wi-Fi, and that module needs to be near the cameras, but the cameras don’t use Wi-Fi directly. It saves to the cloud unless you use a USB stick.
There’s an app called Fing. It scans your connected network for devices. It can help you see if other devices are in your home. It’s a little technical but could be a good first step.
Ira said:
There’s an app called Fing. It scans your connected network for devices. It can help you see if other devices are in your home. It’s a little technical but could be a good first step.
I totally forgot about that app. Thanks for the reminder!
@Blaise
The sync module is probably connected to another Wi-Fi router, not yours. To set up the sync module, they would need your Wi-Fi password, so it’s likely not on your network.
If you are on any of the videos, does the police have that footage? Will they let you know?
Kip said:
If you are on any of the videos, does the police have that footage? Will they let you know?
I’m not sure. I don’t think they have any footage from an SD card, but I could be wrong. The camera was a Blink Outdoor (3rd Gen), which is wireless and battery-powered.
Kip said:
If you are on any of the videos, does the police have that footage? Will they let you know?
Blink is cloud-based, so there’s no local storage. The video quality and Wi-Fi reception can be pretty bad, so it’s unlikely they have clear footage. You could try scanning the QR code inside the camera and see if it’s registered to someone.
Is it connected to Wi-Fi? Do you have access to the router? If so, turning off the Wi-Fi would cut off the camera.
Noe said:
Is it connected to Wi-Fi? Do you have access to the router? If so, turning off the Wi-Fi would cut off the camera.
…but that would also disconnect all your other devices. Some routers allow you to block specific devices, so you could do that and change your router password.