Is this a hidden camera?

Pyro66

Please see the attached photos taken in the gents of a pub near Rathfarnham Shopping Centre. This appears to be a camera directly above the urinals. If yes, is this common?
KW

D3V!L

That's a passive infrared detector for their alarm.

colm_c

Looks like a PIR sensor, which detects movement, most likely part of an alarm system.

tedpan

Pyro66 wrote:

Please see the attached photos taken in the gents of a pub near Rathfarnham Shopping Centre. This appears to be a camera directly above the urinals. If yes, is this common? KW

D3V!L wrote:

That's a passive infrared detector for their alarm.

colm_c wrote:

Looks like a PIR sensor, which detects movement, most likely part of an alarm system.

It 'looks' like a PIR sensor, but why would you have one in the toilet.

I'd say it's a spy cam. Just go to gearbest and search for hidden camera. The majority of them are disguised as PIR sensors.

_Brian

Bottom left hand side of the centre panel would indeed seem to have a camera concealed within.

It’s common over vending machines to catch people rocking them and stealing stuff.

Last place I worked had a serious problem on night shifts with this happening. Then suddenly a second smoke alarm appeared within 18inches of the existing one. Still they caught two lads rocking the machine and pilfering stuff.

wexie

tedpan wrote: »

It 'looks' like a PIR sensor, but why would you have one in the toilet.

Cause the toilet has a window to the back of the pub where people could break in? Like lots of pubs do?

salmocab

The hidden ones Ive seen look like that alright the small hole is the giveaway

mikeymouse

Is this a hidden camera?
not exactly hidden ,is it?

salmocab

mikeymouse wrote: »

Is this a hidden camera?
not exactly hidden ,is it?

To be fair it’s hidden inside the pir case.

heroics

Did you contact the shopping Center and ask them?

mikeymouse

salmocab wrote: »

To be fair it’s hidden inside the pir case.

Ah,now I get it, sorry.

Trasna1

heroics wrote: »

Did you contact the shopping Center and ask them?

It's in a pub near the shopping center. I actually recognise the toilets and I'll be firing of a complaint to the data commissioner if I verify this myself next time I'm in there and I see it. There is a reasonable expectation of privacy in a toilet which this clearly contravenes.

If they want to prevent crime they should move those vending machines out of the toilets. Or better yet, get rid of them altogether.

DavyD_83

D3V!L wrote: »

That's a passive infrared detector for their alarm.

Always wondered what PIR stood for (wasn't nt concerned enough to Google it myself obviously ).
Are they sometimes used to control the lights and/or urinal flushes?

Ewan Hoosarmi

If that is a hole below the 'screen', it's likely it's a camera, if it's an LED that comes on when you move in front of it, it's likely a PIR for the alarm.

dhaughton99

Pull the jonnie machine off the wall and see do you get nicked by the Po Po. Problem solved.

KoolKid

I'd say it's a covert camera all right. The pin hole is the giveaway.
If it's looking away from the urinals (it appears to be) at the common areas it's standard enough.

Fighting Tao

If there is a window then it’s almost certainly an innocent PIR. If there’s no window then it’s most likely not just a PIR.

Suckit

Untidy cabling, but it could be just for the lights.
do the lights come on automatically in the toilets when you walk in?

KoolKid

If it's for lights its a terrible job. Behind the door rather than looking at it. A microwave switch would be a much easier option.
The location of the vending machine is terrible as well. You nearly have to get over the urinal.
No reason for a pin hole like that on a normal pir.

lawred2

Pyro66 wrote: »

Please see the attached photos taken in the gents of a pub near Rathfarnham Shopping Centre. This appears to be a camera directly above the urinals. If yes, is this common?
KW

it's not very hidden

surely a more obvious security camera would be more of a deterrent to Joe Public

unless the attempt here is to either

a) catch staff nicking stuff out of the vending machine
b) have a look at willies

Kenny Logins

Does a red LED light up when you wave at it?

Suckit

The whole thing looks like a lazy setup and untidy. I do agree PIRs do not normally have a pinhole, but some have a red LED where that is.
It is crooked on the wall too. If someone was using the urinal beside the machine and another person walked in, they would be shoved into it. At least that's the way it looks.
It could be a Spy Camera, but way too creepy to think it is.. Although it does not appear to be all that unusual.

Trasna1

Fighting Tao wrote: »

If there is a window then it’s almost certainly an innocent PIR. If there’s no window then it’s most likely not just a PIR.

It looks very similar to this.link

Another thing to check is to see if it looks like the PIRs that are in the rest of the building.

KoolKid

A closer picture would be nice
But very like these ones also.

Phil.x

It's to catch people and the devils dandruff.

kub

OP, it is a covert camera, I fitted this model a few times but never in a place like that and neither would I.

Send that picture onto the Data Commissioner please, it is a disgrace that management in a place like that can consider that location as suitable for a CCTV camera.

PS it has a wide angle lens, there is not much in that room which that camera is not seeing.

stevek93

Yes it is a camera the pin hole is obvious, this is deeply concerning why footage is being captured at this angle it seems a malicious purpose. Can someone advise the OP the right party to report this?

Drifter50

Yes, it certainly looks like a covert camera. Very amateurish looking install tho

degsie

Deffo a hidden camera. Managed to hack into it and got this.....

fritzelly

Most PIR sensors have an LED indicator - why not ask the owner before someone asks why you are taking pictures in the urinal
Plus the angle doesn't look opportune to capture some willies

kub

fritzelly wrote: »

Most PIR sensors have an LED indicator - why not ask the owner before someone asks why you are taking pictures in the urinal
Plus the angle doesn't look opportune to capture some willies

As i said earlier, those PIR covert cameras have very wide lenses in them, off the top of my head i think it is either a 2.8mm or a 3.5mm, so it will see wall to wall and ceiling to floor and everything between.

kub

stevek93 wrote: »

Yes it is a camera the pin hole is obvious, this is deeply concerning why footage is being captured at this angle it seems a malicious purpose. Can someone advise the OP the right party to report this?

The Data Commissioner or The Private Security Authority.

ED E

A place fond of tribute bands yeah? Jacks by the main doors?

Pyro66

I took the photos yesterday (Sunday) at lunchtime. I'm pretty certain that it is a camera. You can see similar equipment on ebay (search for PIR hidden camera). I think that the wiring was for the jonnie machine.

I'm not aware of tribute bands playing. Lots of apples there though, at least so the name would suggest.

We were discussing this in work today. A camera might possibly be put in the toilets to capture images of persons making fraudulent claims (e.g. Your Honour, I slipped and fell on the wet floor). I think that Supermacs Galway successfully defended a claim in this way approx 10 years ago. I would guess that if a responsible company was fitting a camera for this purpose, it would be placed so as not to invade privacy. Some recorders can mask parts of the image. Maybe that was done in this case? Someone from the security industry might know more about this.

Maybe someone familiar with security equipment might confirm that it's a camera / check the other toilets, and get a better photo. I was using an old Nokia feature phone camera.

fritzelly

If those wires are not part of it maybe someone just stuck a battery powered one up (ergo the cockeyed - giggle - placement on the wall) and will be back to reclaim it next week eeeek

ED E

Yep, we're talking the same place.


Its a place I'd give custom at least five times a year so very curious if your suspicions are correct. If I had to bet I'd say you are.

Pyro66

I was in a pub on Walkinstown Roundabout for lunch today (the one that sounds like it could fly). Again, I found a hidden CCTV camera in the gents (above the urinals). This time, it was disguised as a fire alarm detector, though it was placed in a corner of the ceiling - where a detector won't work well, and there was another (different) detector in the middle of the ceiling. Photo attached. I spoke with a member of staff who said that the camera image didn't invade privacy (and that the gents was a public place so it was legal).

So it looks like hidden cameras in toilets isn't uncommon.

The lunch was good.

draiochtanois

This post has been deleted.

kirving

I know the place in Rathfarnham, and don't really have an issue with the camera in the main bathroom as the place can certainly get rowdy at times. The placement is certainly a key point though in any bathroom, and should be pointed toward the urinal, and at the back of those using it.

For anyone not aware, the camera lens is the tiny black dot in the middle.

kub

draiochtanois wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Funny Air freshener, when you power them up with 12 volts and connect them to a DVR they give very good pictures.

Believe me, I have installed enough of them.

As mentioned previously it should be positioned elsewhere.