Spy cameras sales up after AAP sting idea

It’s very simple and affordable. In less than Rs 500, one can buy spy gadget and can do sting operation of corrupt officials without being exposed. 

From spy cameras installed inside mangalsutra, necklace, ear rings, wrist watch to pen and key rings, gadgets ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 50,000 are easily available in the city. Gadgets accessible are trendy and are user friendly. Be it amateur or professionals, one can use it effortlessly.

After the announcement of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal that everyone can do sting operation to expose corrupt officials, I visited hub of spy gadgets – Palika Bazaar – on Thursday and witnessed that there is tremendous spurt in sale of sting equipments.

No doubt, business is up but one can’t get guarantee of such gadgets as they are all manufactured in China.

The shopkeepers are busy throughout the day explaining about the use of various spy gadgets to motley of buyers lined up at various stores.  They thanked Kejriwal for making such announcement and proclaimed to cast their vote in favour of Aam Aadmi Party.

“The sales of spy gadgets have increased almost 90 percent in a single day. Generally, we used to manage to sell around 12 spy gadgets but today, I have sold around 25 such gadgets so far and few buyers came to shop and mentioned about AAP,” said Sachin Kumar, owner of Royal Palace shop.

Explaining about devises, he said that six spy gadgets are in demand as people buy mostly spy cameras installed inside pen, key rings, button, watch, pen drive and goggles. “They are handy and user friendly. One can charge the battery with Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable and the battery backup ranges from five to eight hours depending on its usage,” said Manoj, owner of Electronic Palace shop. 

All these devised are price ranges from Rs 500 to Rs 2500. The pen and key rings are available at just Rs 500 but only after proper bargaining. “The pen spy cameras are almost similar at all the shops but the designs and quality of key rings vary,” said Manoj. 

Spy cameras installed in electronic car keys are also available but it price ranges from Rs 1500 to Rs 2000.  The spy goggles with funky and plain designs are also in demands.  One cannot notice cameras installed inside these equipments as they are very tiny and effective and record everything in audible range.

A spy camera with physical appearance of small tiny box is also available.  It’s called SIM spy camera. “Once can put a mobile SIM card inside it and leave it wherever he wants to a conduct sting. After calling on that number from anywhere, it gets activated and records video and audio of the entire room area as it tiny cameras installed every side and send it on mobile phone,” said Ajay, owner of Electronic Solutions shop.

Ajay said that whenever something audible is there where the box is placed; one will get a call on mobile phone automatically and can hear it on phone. The device has International Mobile Station Equipment Identity (IMEI). The cost of devise ranges from Rs 2500 to Rs 5000.

Spy cameras installed inside mangalsutra, necklace, ear rings, Ipod and various other gadgets ranges from Rs 8000 to Rs 50,000 depending upon the range and focus of the cameras. “One can plug in Ipod head phones in their ear and can adjust the focus of revolving cameras installed inside Ipod and can hear and record from few hundred meters,”  said Ajay adding that its costlier and they bring it on demand.

Some of the shopkeepers were dismissive about it and said that people have been buying these gadgets for their personal use. “Most of the buyers are school and college going students and they buy it for various purposes. Few for them purchase to get help in their studies where the record the lecturers and few to settle scores,” said Setia owner of Voice and Visions.  He added that every day he manages to sell around ten spy pens.

Manoj the owner of Electronic Palace shop claimed to have sold around 100 such gadgets to AAP volunteers a few days ago and have bulk orders in pipe line.  “It true, sales have gone up tremendously,” he added. 

Features of different spy cameras

Pen: Pen spy camera is stylish that have hi-resolution to shoot video with audio and battery last for around three to four hours.

Sun Glasses: Available in variant colours and have high quality video images.  Flexible design suits for different faces for different races and ages. Fashion and cool design keeps up closely with vogue steps. Easy connection with computers and laptops.

Button: Button spy camera is so small that it can fit inside a chewing gum package, cigarette box, or to any button up shirt and in undetectable covert surveillance. While small in size, it makes up for it with technique. And can record for not more than two hours.

Key chain: Key chain spy camera is available in various colours and design and has it has pinhole lens and in-built memory. The battery backup is around four to five hours and has two cameras installed inside it. Easy to handle and one can switch on the recording device and place on the table or keep it in hand to record.

Wrist watch: Easy operation, efficient working and easy maintenance. Its battery support up is for three hours and have cameras built inside the dials and numbers. It can click images and record audio and videos.  

SIM spy camera.  A mobile SIM card is placed inside it. It kept hidden the area wherever sting is to be conducted. After calling on that number from anywhere, it gets activated and records video and audio of the entire room area as it tiny cameras installed every side and send it on mobile phone. If there is any audible one will get call on mobile and can hear everything happening faraway.

ENDS

Sting is king in AAP era

THE day after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal declared open season for sting operations against corrupt government officials, sales of spy gadgets went through the roof in the Capital. A Mail Today investigation that covered the Capital’s electronic hotspots, including Palika Bazaar, Lajpat Rai Market and Shakarpur, found a thriving spy gadget market where less than ` 500 can buy the equipment needed for a basic sting operation.

More money in hand only means more sophisticated snooping, and only the spy is the limit, discovered.

From spy cameras installed in mangalsutras, necklaces, earrings, and wristwatches to pens and key rings, sound and image recording devices are easily available for between Rs 500 and Rs 50,000. The gadgets are easy to use, and trendy to boot.

The one dark lining to the sting cloud is that most of the clever stuff comes from China, and there aren’t any warranties available.

Soaring sales

“ The sale of spy gadgets has gone up by almost 90 per cent overnight. Generally, we used to manage to sell around 12 spy gadgets but today I have already sold around 25 such gadgets so far,” Sachin Kumar, owner of Royal Palace Shop at Palika Bazaar , told Mail Today on Thursday afternoon. “ Some the buyers even talked about AAP,” he added.

Manoj, the proprietor of another spy gadget outlet at Chandni Chowk’s Lajpat Rai Market, said he had sold around such gadgets to AAP volunteers a few days ago, and that had bulk orders in the pipeline. “ It’s true, sales have gone up tremendously,” he said.

Miniature cameras are by far most sought after device, according to Manoj. The six hotselling gadgets, he said, were cameras in pens, keyrings, buttons, watches, pen- drives and eyeglasses. “ They are handy and user- friendly. One can charge the battery with Universal Serial Bus ( USB) cable and battery backup ranges from five to eight hours, depending usage,” he explained.

The spy pen and keyrings were available for Rs 500, after the mandatory round of haggling of course. “ The pen spy cameras almost similar at all the shops but the designs and quality of keyrings vary,” Manoj said.

Spy cameras installed in electronic car keys are also available but they come dearer, at between Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,000.

Funky as well and plain eyeglasses straddle a spectrum of price bands too, given their utility.

The cameras installed inside these are tiny but have high resolution as well as depth of field.

The most interesting item by is what Palika’s electronic hustlers call the SIM camera.

A tiny box, about the size of matchbox, and its applications have no limit but one’s imagination. “ One can put a mobile SIM card inside it and leave it wherever he wants to a conduct a sting. After calling on that number from anywhere, it gets activated and records video and audio of the entire room area as tiny cameras are installed on every side and send it to the calling mobile phone,” said Ajay, owner of Electronic Solutions.

That’s not the only way, Ajay said. “ Whenever there is any sound in the immediate vicinity of the box, it will call the paired mobile automatically. The device has an International Mobile Station Equipment Identity ( IMEI) number, and its cost ranges from Rs 2,500 to Rs 5,000.

Versatile devices

“ One can use iPod headphones to adjust the focus of revolving cameras installed inside the iPod and hear or record from few hundred metres,” said Suresh, proprietor of a small shop in Shakarpur, adding that this kind of spyware is expensive and is ordered only on specific request.

Other shopkeepers remained dismissive about the AAP sting effect. “ Most buyers are school- and college going students; they buy it for various purposes,” one said with a smirk. “ A few purchase them to record lectures, and some to settle scores,” added another who claimed to sell 10 spy pens every day.

Written by me and published in Mail Today