A Question of Concealment
| Date | 01 July 1965 |
| Author | L. Shaw |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X6503800703 |
| Published date | 01 July 1965 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
DETECTIVE
SERGEANT
L.
SHAW
Rochdale Borough Police
AQUESTION OF
£ON£EALMENT
The principle of using a camera loaded with infra red film and using
infra red light to take a photograph of a suspect whilst committing
an offence is well known to all police forces. Difficulty is often
found, however, in concealing the camera and this was forcibly
impressed upon me when I was called to the premises of a local
engineering firm to investigate a series of thefts from an office safe.
The keys for the safe of this office were kept in a desk drawer in an
adjacent office and it was, therefore, decided to seek the assistance
of a neighbouring force with a view to using an infra red camera.
I subsequently borrowed a camera of this type from this force.
It
consisted of the camera proper, a glass bottle coated with infra red
paint and containing the flash bulb, a large battery board and various
long lengths of wire. I found that it was practically impossible to
conceal it without the offender detecting it as the officewas extremely
sparsely furnished, containing only a desk and filing cabinet. No
success was obtained at these premises because, in my opinion, the
camera was too apparent.
Improvising
After much thought it was decided to try to construct a camera
which in its entirety could be enclosed in one unit, and to do this
an old radio cabinet was obtained. The camera adapted was an old
quarter plate Bellows model and onto this was fitted a 105 m.m.
lens with front cell focussing in a flash synchronized shutter, the
lens and shutter unit being purchased for the sum of £5 from a local
dealer. The solenoid to trip the shutter was a 12
volt"
Trico " make,
obtained from a local garage. Some difficulty was experienced in
obtaining an infra red flash bag but a supplier was finally found at the
Fleetwood Camera Centre, Fleetwood, Lancashire, at a cost of ISs.
The radio cabinet was decided on as a good method of concealment
as it was thought that such an object in any shop or office would
not
excite comment and any wires leading from it would not arouse
anyone's suspicion.
It
was realized that in the event of the camera
being detected it would, no doubt, either be broken or taken away
by the offender and to obviate this a small burglar alarm was fitted
to it. This alarm is known as
the"
Guard"
burglar alarm and is of
Japanese manufacture, being powered by a small pen cell battery.
The cost of this item was 30s. This alarm can either be fitted to the
camera itself and on it being moved will go off,or it can be attached
to the trip to go off at the same time as the camera is fired.
July 1965 316
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