Pick a basic, compact webcam. The camera must be small enough to escape detection. You may choose to hide it inside a household object like a pencil sharpener or a tissue box; bear this in mind as you’re choosing a camera. If you want to set up the camera as soon as possible, you should be able to find a webcam at a large electronics store (BestBuy, Circuit City, etc. ) Ask for their cheapest, smallest model. If you’re trying to capture a serious crime, consider installing a professional-grade security camera. [1] X Research source Homemade hidden cameras are fun, and they will work in a pinch–but the video quality will be much higher on a more expensive setup.
For example: Find an old electric pencil sharpener that no-one is using. You can take out the insides and point the camera out of the pencil-sharpening hole. Unscrew the shell and remove the motor, the wires, and the power cord from the inside. Make sure that the sharpener is unplugged! Try using a cardboard shoe-box or tissue box. Cut a small hole in the side of the box so that the camera can “see” out. Make sure that the hole isn’t too big: you don’t want anyone to get suspicious! Consider using a shopping bag or gift bag. Again, cut a small hole in the side of the bag. The hole will be harder to spot if the outside of the bag is textured or patterned. A black or dark-colored bag will make the hole even harder to notice. Consider hiding the camera in the leaves of a potted plant or deep in the recesses of a bookshelf–anywhere that someone will be unlikely to look closely. Make sure that the camera lens is pointing where you need it to point.
If you think that the object will be moved around at all, consider using superglue to hold the camera in place. Glue the outer rim of the camera lens such that it’s facing out of the hole. Be careful to keep glue away from the lens glass–this will blur the video quality, and it is very difficult to remove.
If you don’t have fishing weights, any heavy, flat piece of metal should do the trick. Be careful when handling jagged metal.
Cover the USB cord with something. Loose papers or a jacket will do–but make it look natural. If a “pencil sharpener” is obviously connected to your computer, the snooper may become suspicious.
Keep in mind, however, that an “Out of Order” sign may call attention to the object. People may be more likely to ignore the “appliance” if you don’t label it–especially if you place it out of the way. [4] X Research source
If you just want someone to stay out of your space–say, a sibling sneaking into your room–point the camera toward the door so that you can catch them coming in. If you are trying to stop someone from messing with a specific thing–say, you want to keep a sibling from taking your clothes, or a coworker from stealing your stapler–point the camera toward that thing so that you can see what they do. If you want to capture several different crimes, set the camera back far enough that the lens catches a wide swath of the room. Consider setting up two cameras, though be sure to vary your hiding spots.
Bear in mind that the phone itself will be taking the footage. Thus, you won’t be able to use the phone for anything else while you’re filming. It’s best to use a phone that you don’t need on a regular basis; you may be able to acquire a used phone from a friend or from a used-phone retailer. Make sure that you have an AC power charger for the phone. It will be very energy-intensive to record a constant video stream, and you’ll need to keep the phone charging.
Look for apps like IP Webcam, MobileWebCam, DroidCam, or iCam. Read reviews before you download any app, and make sure that you’re downloading something safe. Many of these apps are free, and the developers make their money from ads. Don’t worry about paying for a more expensive app; a free program should be sufficient. You will need to give the webcam app full control of your phone’s camera, meaning that no other app can use the camera while the webcam app is running. This will not harm your phone or its camera.
If you are using VLC, click “Open Network Stream” on the “Media” menu, and enter the URL that shows up on the phone’s webcam app. Once you enter this URL, you should be given the option to connect to the phone’s camera. Free programs like VLC and Windows Media Player are great for watching a webcam stream through your computer, but you won’t be able to record high-quality footage. If you’re really serious about surveillance, consider looking into pricier webcam studio software.
Leaning the phone casually against a wall or a stack of books may suffice, especially if the phone is laying on its lengthwise side. Consider hiding the phone inside of a household object. See the “Hiding a Webcam Inside a Household Object” section. Turn off the sound and the vibrate feature on the phone, especially if the phone is enabled to take calls and texts. A loud ringtone at the wrong moment could ruin your entire plan.
Ask your internet service provider about secure network options. If you are paying for wireless internet, you should be able to set up a password from your router.
It is generally legal to use a hidden camera in the workplace, as long your filming pertains to a business concern. Don’t film someone at work without their consent in order to settle a personal dispute–unless you’re ready to risk legal consequences. [7] X Research source Laws vary between states and countries. Research the laws for your area before you record audio or video of anyone without their express consent. If you are planning to distribute the footage, sell the footage, or use it in court, then it is extremely important that you follow the law. If you are only planning to use the footage for personal entertainment purposes, you may not need to worry so much.
You may be able to use Windows Movie Maker or iVideo, if these are already installed on your computer. Search the Start menu (bottom left-hand corner of the Windows desktop) to figure out whether you have a program installed.
Cover up the USB cord with something so that it isn’t obviously running to the hidden camera. Books, papers, or a jacket will do–anything that looks natural.
Keep in mind that while this may be a more straightforward approach, the snooper may be more suspicious if they notice a camera point at them–even if they don’t think that it’s turned on. Be sure to turn off, cover, or disable the LED light that shows that your webcam is running. The “recording” light may tip off a snooper that they are being filmed.
If you own a desktop computer, you should be able to turn off the monitor and leave the computer tower running. If you own a laptop, you may be able to put the screen to sleep while the recording program runs. You may also consider folding the screen down until the laptop is almost–but not quite–closed. The computer will look like it’s off, but it will still be running.
If time goes on and you don’t capture anything incriminating, reconsider the situation. Was the snooping a one-time thing? Has the snooper found a way to sneak around your camera?
Make sure that the clip shows exactly what you need to prove your point. Whether you caught a sibling stealing from your room or a coworker stealing from your cubicle: the clip should start a few seconds before the crime and end a few seconds afterward. Save the relevant footage in a new video file, but do not delete the extra footage just yet. Sometimes evidence appears where we least expect it. You may find something interesting when you review the extra footage.
Consider emailing yourself a copy of the file. Even if someone goes to drastic measures to find and delete the footage from your computer, you will have a remote copy that you can download onto any computer with an internet connection. For the same reason: consider saving the footage onto a USB flash drive. Keep the drive in a safe place.
You do not need to bring up the hidden camera immediately. It may come in handy later on, if they continue to sneak around after you’ve asked them to stop. If they own up to their snooping ways when you confront them, then you don’t need to show them the evidence. If the snooper knows that you’ve hidden a camera somewhere, and knows where you’ve hidden it, they may find a way to sneak around it. Don’t reveal your trump card right away.
Consider leaving the camera running when you suspect that the snooper might strike again. It never hurts to be sure. If the problem continues, tell an authority figure. If you’re dealing with a sneaky sibling, tell your parents. If you’re dealing with a sneaky coworker, consider notifying your supervisor. If the snooping is of a criminal nature, consider contacting the police.
