I answered a call at my office the other day from a man who lived in a home in Studio City. His neighbor had recently installed a CCTV security system with 6 infrared bullet cameras. Infrared bullet cameras are commonly used to view driveways, doors and windows, backyards and side yards  of single family homes.  These cameras use infrared light that can see in low light or totally dark areas. But the man in Studio City had been watching too many spy movies. He was worried that his neighbor would be able to see through his curtains and walls, listen to his families conversations and record everything going on in and around his house. The first thing I asked him was “Why?”.  Why would someone do this ? Most people install video camera systems in to protect and secure their own property. There is equipment out there that uses thermal imaging and long distance audio devices to spy on people but its very expensive and your average homeowner probably has no interest in it. In the movies spies are always planting “Bugs” to see and hear what the bad guys are doing, but these covert cameras and microphones need to work wirelessly and with batteries. So after a day the battery dies and unless you are really close the video picture and audio feed will be a scrambled mess. The gentleman in Studio City sounded kind of embarrassed. He did tell me that there had been a few burglaries the last few months in his area and we both figured that was the reason for his neighbors security cameras. I also gave him a free quote to install cameras in his home and once again assured him that his neighbor was more interested in watching out for the bad guys than what he was watching on TV tonight. We install CCTV systems for homes all over the San Fernando Valley including Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys and Encino.