| Someone Spying? So are the Teddy Bear and | | | | from the house current. Others, which use tiny |
| the Potted Plant | | | | batteries for power and are about the same size |
| See the cuddly teddy bear over on the shelf? | | | | as a sugar cube, transmit for a less distance but |
| Well, it sees you too. "Right here in the camera, | | | | are handy for surreptitious placement in vases, |
| behind the left eye." said Marvin Badler, the owner | | | | behind picture frames and attached under tables |
| of The Spy Mart a Monmouth County company | | | | and other furniture. |
| dedicated to the proposition that what you don't | | | | "Again," Mr. Badler said, "these are for law |
| know can hurt you and what you do know can | | | | enforcement, not for public use. It's illegal to |
| protect you from being caught off guard. | | | | record audio unless you are a party to the |
| "There's a wireless camera transmitter in here." | | | | conversation." |
| Mr. Badler said, holding the teddy bear in his arms | | | | But if that's' the case, who might use the teddy |
| and pointing to it's furry little head. " It can send a | | | | bear camera with a video camera for a brain? |
| signal up to 300 feet away , so you don't even | | | | "Anybody," Mr. Badler replied. It's not illegal to |
| need a wire to attach it to a VCR. | | | | videotape." |
| Mr. Badler a licensed Private investigator since | | | | In fact, he said, the teddy bear was designed for |
| 1961 and former chief investigator for the New | | | | clients who wanted to be able to keep track of |
| York City Department of Correction, was | | | | how a child's nanny was treating the child when |
| demonstrating some of the item he sells from | | | | the parents weren't home. The teddy bear was |
| The Spy Mart's showroom. | | | | set on a high shelf in the chid's room and |
| "See that planter over there." Mr. Badler said, | | | | connected to a video recorder locked in the |
| pointing in the direction of an ordinary-looking | | | | parents room. The cost? "Around $1,000.00, not |
| potted plant. "There's a camera in the pot. We | | | | including the ,VCR." Mr. Badler said. "And there are |
| build it last week. I was shopping with my wife, I | | | | ways we can make them work in total darkness." |
| saw the planter and came up with the idea." | | | | Mr. Badler pointed to what looked like a clock hung |
| Mr. Badler's business is answer to a challenge: how | | | | on a wall. He instructed his visitor to look at the a |
| do you find out what someone is up to without | | | | video monitor just underneath the clock. On the |
| his finding out what are you up to first? | | | | screen was an image of a confused reporter |
| "Most of my customers are law enforcement | | | | looking at himself looking at a video monitor. "Now |
| types." Mr. Badler said, referring to police, private | | | | watch this," Mr. Badler said, switching off the |
| detectives and prosecutors investigators. | | | | office lights, The image on the video monitor |
| Investigators who come to avail themselfs of the | | | | dimmed slightly but remained clear and distinct. "All |
| latest in clandestine surveillance technology. But | | | | we do is introduce a small infrared light source - |
| we also have a lot of private-sector people and | | | | we can hide it anywhere in the room - and it will |
| businessman who come in because they want to | | | | bounce around and illuminate the room like it was |
| record their own telephone conversation or | | | | daylight." |
| because they're afraid of their business are being | | | | A regular customer of The Spy Mart, a private |
| bugged." | | | | investigator who declined to give his name, |
| Paramilitary Atmosphere | | | | described yet another product that make use on |
| The Spy Mart, which Mr. Badler opened about two | | | | infrared light. "I bought infrared filters for the |
| years ago, is on the second floor of an office | | | | headlights on my car." the investigator said, |
| building in Marlboro, New Jersey. Mr. Badler, a tall, | | | | explaining that he used the filters while staking out |
| burly man with a penchant for 10-gallon hats, also | | | | errant spouses for divorce clients. "I sit in my car |
| runs his private investigation and security business | | | | with a video camera , aim the headlights at the |
| from the location. The atmosphere is decisively | | | | house or motel and wait. The infrared filters light |
| paramilitary, with a secretary and an assistant | | | | up the place like it was daytime. I can see them, |
| calling Mr. Badler "sir" in terse formal exchanges. | | | | but they can't see me." |
| He instructed the secretary to call him on a | | | | The investigator said The Spy Mart was more |
| telephone atop one of glass display cases that line | | | | then a high-the toy store for real-life Sam Spades |
| the walls of the showroom. The phone rang , and | | | | and amateur spies. |
| Mr. Badler lifted the receiver. "This is a prototype." | | | | Marvin doesn't just sell you things and send you |
| he said, telling his assistant to pick up an extension | | | | out the door," the man said. "He tells you how to |
| in another room. A red light on the phone blinked | | | | use what you buy. He gives suggestions. You tell |
| on. "See? The phone went dead." Mr. Badler said | | | | him what you want to do and he'll figure out how |
| holding the receiver our for a visitor to verify that | | | | to do it." |
| the phone was quite dead." "What happened was, | | | | And for those new to the business of espionage |
| if I'm talking and somebody gets on the line with | | | | and counterespionage, Mr. Badler also offers a |
| a listening device or comes in the room with a | | | | small library of arcane books with such titles as |
| transmitter , the light goes on and the phone | | | | "How to Disappear Completely and Never be |
| automatically disconnects the conversation." | | | | Found." "Get Even: The Complete Book of Dirty |
| He intends to market the new telephone to other | | | | Tricks," "How the Underdog Gets Justice" and |
| spy shop around the country. The price? About | | | | "Methods of Disguise." |
| $750.00. Many of the devices in The Spy Mart | | | | Though The Spy Mart caters to law enforcement |
| showroom, including the phone that goes dead, | | | | officials, Mr. Badler said, a growing segment of his |
| are items Mr. Badler designed himself and then | | | | business involves executive and business manages |
| built out of components available at any well - | | | | concerned about employee theft and corporate |
| stocked electronics store. | | | | espionage. |
| "This is a microphone in a button." he said, holding | | | | "We have a lot of small businesses installing hidden |
| out for inspection what appeared to be, well, a | | | | video systems," he said, adding that it is illegal to |
| button with wire attached to it. "You can put it on | | | | install such equipment in areas where people are |
| a selves of your shirt and attached it to any tape | | | | entitled to expect privacy, like dressing rooms and |
| recorder." he said. "It's battery powered, and you | | | | bathrooms. |
| can change the actual button so it matches the | | | | Worries About Wiretapping |
| buttons on your shirt." | | | | "We also sell lot of systems to people who think |
| He then showed me a pen that, he said, has a | | | | their businesses or home items he showed his |
| tiny microphone inside. Even upon close inspection, | | | | offices are being bugged or wiretapped by the |
| nothing about the pen appeared unusual. "The | | | | competition," he said. "And we help people who |
| microphone is behind that hole," he said, indication | | | | want to record their telephone conversation. A lot |
| a hold bout the size of a period at the end of this | | | | of insurance brokers are now recording customer |
| sentence. "It's supersensitive, too."he said, | | | | conversation, which is legal." |
| asserting that the tiny microphone is about 10 | | | | Though the market for surveillance devices for |
| times more sensitive then the microphones built | | | | law enforcement never seems to dry up, he said, |
| into microcassettee recorders now on the | | | | the market among business customers tracks the |
| market. | | | | economy. |
| "See the calculator?" he said, pointing to a | | | | "When things are bad out there for business, then |
| credit-card-size calculator. | | | | business is good for me." Mr. Badler said. "When |
| "That's a transmitter. But it's not for public use, | | | | the economy is bad, people are stealing more, |
| only law enforcement. It's not FCC approved". | | | | and there are ad thins going on." |
| Mr. Badler's clandestine eavesdropping devices fall | | | | One of the last items he showed his visitor was is |
| into two general t for public use: hard-wired, like | | | | personal favorite. "This is a bug detector," he said, |
| the shirt button microphone, which plugs into a | | | | opening a case that contained a small electronic |
| microcassettee recorder, and wireless, like the | | | | control panel. He took a small wand with a wire |
| calculator that transmits to an FM receiver some | | | | attached to it of the case and pointed the wand |
| distance away. | | | | at the calculator, which really a hidden transmitter |
| Behind the Picture Frame | | | | and was supposed to be virtually undetectable. |
| Some of the wireless transmitters, like the one | | | | The bug detector flashed and beeped and |
| that replaces an ordinary electric wall socket, can | | | | electronic warning. |
| transmit up to a half mile away, drawing power | | | | "It's one of my most popular items,"he said. |