Mysterious spy cameras collecting data at post offices

a reply to: aboutface

They have every right to film on their property.

originally posted by: cetaphobic
a reply to: aboutface

They have every right to film on their property.

There's still general use laws as to what you can use a persons image for even when you film it on your property.

originally posted by: machineintelligence

DENVER — Within an hour of FOX31 Denver discovering a hidden camera, which was positioned to capture and record the license plates and facial features of customers leaving a Golden Post Office, the device was ripped from the ground and disappeared.

FOX31 Denver investigative reporter Chris Halsne confirmed the hidden camera and recorder is owned and operated by the United State Postal Inspection Service, the law enforcement branch of the U.S. Postal Service.

Mysterious spy cameras collecting data at post offices



I wonder if this snooping program was for a particular case of if this was a pilot program for a postal system wide uptick in government snoopyness? I see in the video provided not a lot of concern by people at the post office being ask how they feel about the increased spying. Also of note was how fast that camera package came down when inspectors office was ask questions about it.

I believe its system wide. I know of a instance where an individual was surveiled mailing an anonymous letter to the police chief in a Missouri post office. Apparently the camera was aimed as to be able to identify any vehicles pulling up to the mail boxes. Its probably terrorist related, especially after the 2001 Anthrax attacks.

originally posted by: Gianfar
I believe its system wide.

I checked out Bakersfield PO last night, if there's a camera there, they did a fine job hiding it.

what evv's I got nothing to hide right? And while we are at it, here is my social security number, DOB of my entire family tree and their SSN's, the times I am at home and when I am not, where I like to get my haircut and where I prefer to dine on my lunch breaks from work. The secluded areas I enjoy to get away from the world, the keys to my house and the combination to my safe. A copy of all my insurance policies, the list of all the people I have ever loved physically, what I ate for breakfast yesterday and the average times of day I take a dump.

I have nothing to hide so I will just give it all up right now and pretend the word privacy or anonymity never existed. What? What are these words you say, I have never heard of them in this generation??? Go figure....

1. It's in an open public area. No rules against monitoring that.
2. It was likely put there to address some percieved problem in the area.

I wouldn't be surprised if there were complaints about mail theft or tampering. Alternately somebody may have been making threats or repeatedly mailing items that are not allowed under postal rules, and those things were traced to that zip code. Putting a spy cam up to monitor the area is likely less expensive and more effective than having an investigator stationed to monitor things in-person.

And they either they found the person(s) of interest, or the gig is up since the camera is known about. That's why they removed it.

If you really want to be anonymous with mail, there are still ways to do it. (Not using the same location, having some middleman such as an escrow service, etc.)

originally posted by: Bedlam

originally posted by: Gianfar
I believe its system wide.

I checked out Bakersfield PO last night, if there's a camera there, they did a fine job hiding it.

Hence, covert surveillance.

It could have been part of an investigation and what is known as a "controlled delivery".

When something illegal is being shipped and the authorities are tipped off, sometimes they'll hold the package at the post office and have the person sign for it. Signing for the package indicates that the person knowingly accepts it. As soon as they get the package, they'll be greeted to law enforcement in the parking lot.

It may have been forgotten about and quickly taken down after someone spotted and reported it.

Anyone remember the Unabomber? Malicious packages still get shipped via the Postal service.

On a side note, I lived in Denver for 8 years before moving recently, and over the past two years i noticed more cameras on intersections around stoplights. Now obviously some of these are for automatic revenue for the city for generating tickets, but I always suspected they were also collecting data on license plates and the faces driving them, and keeping tabs on people with facial recognition software. Seemed like a silly suspicion to have until the Snowden thing broke out. Some are obviously stoplight cameras, as most of those have a warning sign before you pass them that camera enforcement is in use. But the other cameras didn't seem to be used for this purpose as there was no camera "flash" when someone would run a red light like all the other red-light cameras.

I imagine most other major cities have similar cameras collecting data throughout populated areas.

a reply to: Amphoreus

Reference cameras at intersections..

I think most people don't realize that not all lighted intersection are based on the magnetic strip in the ground. Some lighted intersections use the camera to detect present traffic to cycle the light. Other cameras present are used to observe the intersection by transportation departments.

just throwing this info out there to show its not always sinister.

originally posted by: JiggyPotamus
The fact that the camera was quickly removed says volumes

i'm sure that was entirely coincidental.....

a reply to: Xcathdra

Good to know.