York Regional Police are warning residents across the region, including Markham and Richmond Hill, about a disturbing new tactic being used by thieves to case homes before breaking into them. In two separate incidents in Vaughan, police discovered camouflage-disguised cameras that had been placed on residential properties by suspects who used them to monitor homeowners' daily routines and schedules before committing break-ins.
The warning, issued by York Regional Police on March 30, describes a method that is more sophisticated than the traditional approach of watching a house from a parked car or making repeated drive-bys. By placing a camera on or near the target property, suspects can gather detailed intelligence about when residents leave for work, when they return, when deliveries arrive, and when the home is most likely to be unoccupied, all without being physically present during the surveillance period.
What Police Found
In both Vaughan incidents, homeowners or police discovered small cameras and battery packs that had been placed on residential properties. The cameras were disguised with camouflage covering, the type of pattern commonly found on hunting trail cameras, making them difficult to spot among hedges, trees, and garden vegetation.
Trail cameras of this type are widely available at outdoor and sporting goods retailers across the Greater Toronto Area. They are designed to be inconspicuous in natural settings, operate on battery power for extended periods, and can be triggered by motion to capture images or video. Features that make them useful for wildlife monitoring also make them effective tools for criminal surveillance of residential properties.
Police have not disclosed whether the cameras recovered were transmitting footage in real time to the suspects or storing it locally on memory cards for later retrieval. Both methods present different challenges: real-time transmission would allow suspects to monitor the property remotely, while local storage would require the suspect to return to the property to retrieve the camera and review the footage, creating an additional opportunity for detection.
Why This Matters for Markham and Richmond Hill
While the confirmed incidents occurred in Vaughan, York Regional Police issued the warning to all residents across the region because the tactic could easily be deployed anywhere. Markham and Richmond Hill are both part of the same policing district and share similar residential profiles: single-family homes with landscaped yards that could conceal small cameras, high rates of dual-income households where homes are unoccupied during business hours, and proximity to major highways that provide quick escape routes for criminals operating across municipal boundaries.
Residential break-and-enters remain a persistent concern across York Region. In March 2026 alone, police charged a suspect in connection with nine home break-ins in Markham and have been dealing with ongoing property crime across the region. The addition of pre-operation surveillance using hidden cameras represents an escalation in sophistication that raises the stakes for homeowners who may not be aware of the tactic.
What Residents Should Do
York Regional Police are advising residents to take the following steps to protect their homes:
- Regularly inspect your property. Walk around the perimeter of your home and check hedges, trees, fences, garden beds, and any areas where a small device could be concealed. Pay particular attention to spots that have a clear sightline to your driveway, front door, or garage.
- Look for unfamiliar objects. The cameras in the Vaughan incidents were attached to battery packs and disguised with camouflage. Any unfamiliar device, wire, or object on your property should be treated with suspicion. Do not touch or move the device. Instead, contact police immediately.
- Install your own security cameras. Visible security cameras on your property serve as a deterrent and can capture footage of anyone attempting to place surveillance devices. Position cameras to cover entry points, the driveway, and the perimeter of the yard.
- Use motion-activated lighting. Motion-sensor lights around the property make it more difficult for someone to approach undetected, particularly during evening hours when camera placement or retrieval would be most likely.
- Vary your routine when possible. Suspects using cameras are specifically watching for predictable patterns. If you can vary your departure and arrival times, use different doors, or have a neighbour collect mail and packages while you are away, you reduce the value of the surveillance.
- Maintain your landscaping. Overgrown hedges and dense vegetation provide concealment for both cameras and intruders. Keeping vegetation trimmed improves sightlines and makes it harder to hide devices.
- Talk to your neighbours. Community awareness is one of the most effective deterrents against property crime. If neighbours are watching for unusual activity, including people who do not belong in the area or who appear to be inspecting properties, the chances of detecting criminal surveillance increase significantly.
How to Report
Anyone who discovers a suspicious camera or device on their property should contact York Regional Police at 1-866-876-5423. For the specific investigation related to the Vaughan incidents, contact the #4 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at extension 7445. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or online at www.1800222tips.com.
If you believe a break-in is in progress, call 911 immediately.
For more local news and community safety updates across Markham and Richmond Hill, visit MarkhamBusiness.com.