Nanny Found Hidden Camera In Bathroom Smoke Detector – Learn How To Detect These Spy Devices!

The nanny’s worst fear became a reality when she discovered that the father of the family she worked for was spying on her. Overwhelmed by fear and feeling wronged, she reported the incident to the police and later shared her experience publicly on the Internet.

“I was a nanny at Bethancourt AC and Heating,” Alyssa Glavan revealed on TikTok. “I recently saw a post (on Facebook) … about a local AC company, the guy who ran it was charged with 11 counts of voyeurism on video. Whoever posted that got the story wrong. So I was their nanny and I’m going to include the receipts.”

The man in question is Jonathan Bethancourt, the 31-year-old father of children Glavan cared for as a nanny. “I was using the bathroom one day and I looked up,” Glavan recalls. “And there was a smoke alarm… at the bottom of the bathroom closet.”

When a nanny’s worst fears come true

Showing a photo of the exact smoke detector discovered at the Bethancourt residence, Glavan pointed to the miniature camera placed on its face. Pulling the device off the wall, Glavan examined it closely, revealing an SD card and QR code on the back.

After scanning the code, Glavan was surprised when a “spy cam” appeared on her phone, confirming the presence of a hidden camera. At that point, Glavan was certain that someone in her family was actively spying on her as she used the bathroom.

While continuing his childcare duties, Glavan notified the child’s parent of a fictitious medical crisis requiring immediate alternative care. The discovery of the hidden camera and subsequent police involvement were omitted from this communication.

“Detectives have reviewed the footage. He’s been charged with 11 counts of video surveillance, and that’s just from the one camera he had in the bathroom that I was using,” she said. “But I believe they’re still investigating,” Glavan continued. She even released the audio of Jonathan Bethancourt’s confession.”

In a subsequent video, the nanny revealed that the homeowner tried to silence her by offering her money in exchange for her silence about the hidden camera. Law enforcement intervened, leading to the homeowner’s arrest and release on bail.

“Now I’m alone and I wonder, is he just going to run around freely? What is he doing with these videos he has of me? Are they going to hire another nanny and pretend nothing happened?” she added. “They’re running their air conditioning business, they’re still going to people’s homes like nothing happened.”

NBC15 reported that police in Slidell, Louisiana, obtained and executed a search warrant at Bethancourt’s residence after Glavan produced a hidden camera and discovered an additional hidden camera, as well as other incriminating material.

Evidence also shows that Bethancourt operated cameras at his home in Slidell and at an apartment in Orange Beach, Alabama.

Glavan’s fate is horrifying. While nanny cameras are commonly used to monitor children and nannies, having a bathroom in the nanny’s room is a blatant invasion of privacy.

Hidden camera detection

So how can you protect yourself from a similar situation? Here are some tips:

1) Conduct a physical inspection

If you suspect you’re in a location with hidden cameras, thoroughly check your surroundings. Look for items that seem out of place or have been moved. Pay special attention to items commonly used to mask cameras, such as clocks, smoke detectors, wall decorations, and USB chargers.

2) Check the lights

Another way to quickly locate a hidden camera is to check the lights. Create the darkest possible environment by waiting for nightfall, closing the blinds, and turning off or unplugging all trusted lights. Thoroughly check the room for objects that emit light. While not all devices do this, some hidden cameras may have a small LED that flashes or glows in the dark.

3) Use a flashlight

In some situations, using a flashlight can help you spot hidden cameras. Similar to the previous method, this creates a dark environment. Then, shine the flashlight around the room, carefully observing any tiny reflections. These reflections may appear blue or purple and come from the small camera lens. Once you notice the reflection, examine the object carefully to confirm if it is a hidden camera.

4) Check mirrors for hidden cameras

Some people hide cameras behind one-way mirrors. Fortunately, a simple test can determine whether a mirror is real or disguised. Place the tip of your finger on the mirror surface and observe the gap between your finger and its reflection.

The visible gap indicates a real mirror, while the apparent touching finger and reflection suggest a potential one-way mirror with a hidden camera. Additionally, tapping on the mirror may reveal a hollow sound if it is a one-way mirror, as opposed to the solid sound of a real mirror.

5) Use your smartphone camera

Many hidden cameras emit infrared light when they operate, invisible to the human eye but detectable by smartphone cameras. To test your phone’s infrared detection capabilities, use your TV remote control. Point your phone’s camera at the end of the remote; a purple or white flash of light indicates infrared detection, according to a blog post on Norton’s official website.

Typically, the front-facing camera works best, since rear cameras often have IR filters. If that works, create a dark room and scan for IR light sources with your phone’s camera.

Unfortunately, the use of hidden cameras to invade people’s privacy is nothing new. However, knowing how to detect these devices can greatly reduce the risk of becoming a victim. In fact, many criminals are eventually caught.

For example, in 2023, a former doctor was jailed and fined £51,000 for secretly filming a patient. In 2020, a stepfather was jailed for secretly filming his stepdaughter in the bath from the age of 14.

Understanding how hidden cameras work and where they may be placed can greatly reduce your risk of becoming a victim. Remember, being informed is the first step towards protecting your personal space.