NYC woman found a phone buried in her lawn — and police say it’s a new tactic thieves use to spy on homeowners

moneywise ^ | Jun 25, 2025 | Victoria Vesovski

[PeterPrinciple]

Discovering a hidden device on your lawn isn’t just unsettling — it’s a serious breach of privacy.

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and why do they bother, there is a govt one just down the street they could use.....................

[metmom]

OK.

That makes sense.

I guess you have to be vigilant about checking your yard these days.

But who doesn’t have security cameras that would catch someone burying a phone in their yard????? Living in a neighborhood like that, it seems that that would be a good idea.

Well, until the system gets hacked and some nefarious group monitors you on your own system.

[EVO X]

How do you charge the phone? You only get a few hours to use a phone in this manner.

Power bricks are relatively cheap. Also the video camera may not be running continuously. Maybe an app is only taking a picture every few minutes, etc..

[crusher2013]

Somebody paid for the phone, it has a phone number and a credit card attached to the phone.

Seems pretty easy to find out who set it up.

[chopperk]

Phone must have a strong battery.

[Openurmind]

“We’ll own nothing and be happy?”

Here is the odd thing about these setback right of way codes. They have been around for a hundred years and no one has done anything about them. Why folks have not got together and regained legal private property rights I have no clue. My first legal argument would be “Then the city should pay for the property taxes on these portions of my lot since they are “public property”. It is a direct violation of the Fifth Amendment provision barring the Government from taking private property for public use absent just compensation. Everyone just “sets back” and lets them do it. Pun intended...

[9YearLurker]

Ha, you seem to be right about needing compensation.

[Openurmind]

Yeah, I would have my own hidden game cameras set up. :)

[EVO X]

This was some years a go. A single lady got ripped off in my parents neighborhood. A couple of handymen stole $25K in jewelry. One kept the lady distracted while the other cased the house. My guess is she said yes to their service offer when they knocked on her door..

[Tell It Right]

Exactly what I was thinking.

[Bon of Babble]

Foreign gangs are doing this in California, called “burglery tourism” - hiding cameras in bushes, etc. to “scout out” rich homes.

They use the lax Visa Waver system - which allows people from certain foreign countries to visit the U.S. for roughly three months without a visa - to get in and out of the country quickly.

“A majority of burglary tourists originate from Chile.”

[GaltAdonis]

“…… How do you charge the phone? …”

I don’t know. But if I ever need to covertly surveil someone and do the
research to find out, I’ll let you know.

[MayflowerMadam]

I’ve heard about this a few times over the last couple of months.

[bert]

Wqas she cheating on her husband?

[bgill]

You aren’t paying taxes on them. It is set back so the city can run utilities and expand the street if necessary. Why do you mow it every week?

[FamiliarFace]

I hate solicitors, and I have three signs on my walkway telling them not to go further. If they get all the way up to my front porch, there’s a final sign that says if they knock on my door, they owe me $50 per minute they expect me to listen to their spiel. They give me the eebie jeebies. Every time I see a solicitor type in my neighborhood, I watch them. They always seems like their casing everything.

[Openurmind]

You are paying property taxes on it by the square foot of the total lot. Even the portion the sidewalk is on. In fact the portion the sidewalk is on is conveniently “yours” when it comes time to install or repair the sidewalk. They charge you 50% of the costs as the “property owner” even though they also conveniently consider it public property.

And since this is the case we should be able to charge a sidewalk toll... lol

[bobbo666]

Or, entice your dog to go widdle on it.

BTWay, this only works for so long as the battery is OK. After that, free phone. Remove the SIM and go for it.

[hoosierham]

If you don’t keep it mowed the city will fine you.And don’t forget to pick up the trash people leave on “your” setback.

The reality is we rent from the government everything we “own”; think not,just stop paying taxes and a government man with a gun will come take “your” property.

[FrozenAssets]

Reason 6,458 to not live in a city.