SINGAPORE — Spy cameras, including hook-shaped ones used by a recently-convicted peeping tom, are easily available for sale here.

A check by TODAY found that hook-shaped spy cameras, for example, can be bought at at least four shops in electronics mall Sim Lim Square. Such spy cameras are also going for as cheap as S$20 or less online, via sites such as Lazada, Qoo10 and Carousell. 

Last week, digital marketing specialist Clarence Tang Jia Ming pleaded guilty to using the spy cameras to amass obscene videos of women using the toilet at Holland Village’s Starbucks.

Posing as a customer seeking this particular product, commonly known as a “hook cam”, shopkeepers readily showed it off — with no questions asked.

These hidden cameras are standalone units, meaning they do not require additional power sources, nor do they have to be wired up. Some of these record videos up to 8 megapixel in size, in high-definition resolution of 720p or 1,080p, and can support an SD card of up to 32 gigabytes.

At one shop, a model of the camera which records only upon detecting motion was retailing for S$64.20, while a more expensive Wifi-enabled model, which allows “live viewing” on a mobile phone or computer, went for S$109.

One friendly shopkeeper even told this reporter that the “hook cam” is already considered “old fashion” and “obsolete”, having been in the market for more than two years. He has only a handful of these cameras in stock, which he is selling for S$45.

“The angle is not very wide. Its resolution is only 720p,” he added.

However, when this reporter identified herself and tried to find out more about the popularity of the product and the types of customers who purchase the item, the shopkeepers changed their tune and denied selling the cameras, which they admitted could be used for nefarious activities. In three of these cases, the product could be seen sitting in plain sight in the shop’s display case.

A manager who wanted to be known only as Henry claimed his shop used to sell hook cameras “very long ago”, but it has stopped stocking them as it wanted to be known as a “proper” and “upright” closed circuit television (CCTV) distributor.

“We do not want to be misunderstood to be perpetuating crime,” Henry told TODAY.

Instead, his shop carries spy cameras in the form of pens and clocks, which are used more commonly in businesses or home surveillance to check on elderly family members or domestic helpers.

Another shopkeeper noted that people who are “truly into spying” instead of voyeurism are choosing instead to buy mini cameras about the size of a micro SD card. These record in 1080p, have a longer battery life, and support live viewing and recording. But they need to be connected to an external battery pack, and have to be hidden behind another object.

Besides the hook cameras, many of the shops stock a range of spy cameras disguised as everyday items. One such shop visited by TODAY carried items such as a calculator (S$69.90), power bank (S$69.90), power adaptor (S$89.90), lighter (S$59.90), and a car key (S$39.90).

The police classify cases of people caught peeping in public places under the insult of modesty crime category. In 2015 and 2016, there were 597 and 531 insult of modesty cases respectively, with the number dropping to 444 in 2017. However, a check with the police revealed that there is an uptick of such cases recorded — 273 — for the first half of this year. The police, however, were unable to say if these easily available "hook cameras" is one of the most popular model of spy cameras used in crimes they have busted.

To protect themselves from being spied upon, security industry experts told TODAY members of the public should familarise themselves with how these “hook cams” look.

Manufactured in China, Taiwan or Korea, there are three generic looks to these “hook cams” — an oval-shaped base with two plastic hooks, a round base with two metal hooks, or it could come with a reflective surface above its hook.

Mr Toby Koh, group managing director of Ademco Security Group, said the current models had been offered in the market since about five years ago.

Taking a negative view of the sale of spy cameras such as the “hook cam” at Sim Lim Square, he said there are few ways they could be used for legitimate reasons.

To avoid being unwitting victims of such spy cameras, Mr Koh said women should “look out for something out of the norm”, especially in areas where it might be hard to police, such as in the dressing room of a mass market clothing store. Or to be extra careful, they should cover any hole they suspect might have a pinhole camera embedded in it.

He also urged mall or building owners affix obvious surveillance cameras at the entrances of toilets to deter perverts.

“The best is deterrence. (The culprits) will survey the sites. (They are) not stupid. If they see no surveillance, they will be tempted to (spy) at a location,” said Mr Koh.

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