Burglars are hiding cameras in Southern California yards: Tips for protecting yourself

This camera was found in a bush in front of a home, trained on a neighbour's house, in Alhambra, California. — Alhambra Police Department/TNS

In an era when everybody is staring at their phones, burglars are banking on people failing to notice the hidden camera in their front yard.

Residents across Southern California have discovered small video cameras hidden near their homes, crudely assembled surveillance devices stashed among shrubs or in planters, wrapped in plastic green leaves and often attached to a battery pack. The cameras are stashed by burglars who want to learn the schedules of their potential victims.