LONE TREE, Colo. (KDVR) Lone Tree Police in Colorado are investigating after a resident in the Heritage Hills neighborhood found a camouflaged camera hidden in a bush and pointed at a specific house.

“It looks clearly like somebody placed it there, camouflaged it for the purpose of doing surveillance on the house that it was pointed at,” Lone Tree Police Chief Kirk Wilson told affiliate KDVR.

He said this is a new high-tech strategy used by sophisticated burglary rings to watch the homes of their targets.

“I’ve never seen this level of surveillance being done on a burglary, but this is kind of a nationwide crime trend if you will, and so this is not the first camera that we know has been used. I think there’s been others recovered,” Wilson said.

The camera was directed at the home of an Asian business owner.

Back in October, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office sent out an alert about a burglary ring targeting the homes of Asian business owners by doing things like placing trackers on their vehicles and hiding cameras in their yards.

Losses from those burglaries at the time totaled nearly $1 million.

Lone Tree police are now working to see if this case is connected.

“It’s pretty concerning. I know if I was that person with a camera pointed at my house I’d be very, very concerned,” Wilson said.

Officers talked with the targeted family about increasing security and plan to continue with increased patrols in the area. Police will get a forensic analysis of the camera and look at video from other home surveillance systems in the neighborhood.

“Please report anything suspicious. Pay attention to your yard and look out for your neighbors,” Wilson said.

The department sent a crime alert to local residents and the HOA with the following safety tips included:

• Have quality security systems working and in place to protect your residence and loved ones.
• Use known and reputable contractors to perform any work on your house or yard.
• Have someone check on your home if you are going to be gone for extended periods of time.
• Use the Lone Tree Police Department’s “House Watch” program for shorter vacations or trips.
• Know your neighbors and look out for each other.
• Report any suspicious people or vehicles so police officers can respond to the area and address concerns.
• If you see someone in your neighborhood wearing a mask, please call 9-1-1.

To register your home for a House Watch while on vacation, go to this form.

Anyone with information on this case can contact Detective Lori Mohr at 720-509-1225 or at Lori.Mohr@cityoflonetree.com. Callers can also remain anonymous by calling the Lone Tree tip line at 720-509-1160.