Categories: Travel

Warning: Hidden cameras planted in hotels and vacation rentals

Michael Timmermann | October 23rd, 2017

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Police in Florida are issuing a warning to travelers after an Indiana man and his wife were secretly recorded in a vacation rental, WFLA-TV reports.

The couple was staying at an Airbnb in Longboat Key when they noticed something unusual in the bedroom.

Police: Hidden camera secretly recorded Airbnb guests

According to WFLA, the man saw a small black dot in the smoke detector above the bed in the master bedroom. He opened it up to find a camera and microphone inside.

The homeowner was arrested and charged with video voyeurism, police said.

WFLA reports that some of the videos that were recovered date back to 2008. Police believe there are additional victims who were caught on camera.

Could cameras be hidden in your hotel room or vacation rental? NBC’s Jeff Rossen spoke to the owner of a spy shop who said anyone can buy these devices.

The cameras are so tiny that they can be placed in everything from coffee cups to cell phone chargers.

To protect yourself, the spy expert told NBC News, you can buy a radio frequency finder that will make a sound when it detects cameras using a wireless signal.

We found various radio frequency finders listed on Amazon for as low as $10.

In a statement to WFLA, Airbnb said the suspect in the Florida case has been banned from its community, and the company has a zero-tolerance policy against this behavior.