Why would you need a BUG SWEEP?
From big businesses to small companies and private individuals, Surelock provide a professional service for Technical Countermeasures Sweeps (TCMS) / Electronic Countermeasures Sweeps (ECMS) or more commonly known as a BUG SWEEPS. We have successfully been doing this for our clients for over 25 years. Clients have included Premier League Football Clubs, Local Authorities, Banking Institutions, Law Firms, Blue Chip Companies, Construction Industry, Celebrities, Victims of Crime and Private Individuals, premises range from a 7-floor office building to a motor vehicle.
Bug Sweeps are required to identify both legal and illegal placement of an electronic device for the purposes of recording private conversations and theft, for the detection of these devices. These spying devices are more commonly referred to as “Bugs” used to record and photograph, are commonly available to buy on the Internet.
Often used by business competitors, criminals, investigative journalists and aggrieved marital partners, but also by the authorities for the use in the detection of major crimes.
Unlike the Military this tends to be mostly commercial and sometimes domestic use, legally deployed by many businesses to detect theft of goods and information by employees, rival companies or domestically cheating partners.
Surelock can offer this service legally - https://www.surelock.org/services/electronic-countermeasures-sweeps-bug-sweeps
These so -called Bugging devices fall into basically two types
1. Radio and Hardwired [non radio]
Radio enabled devices transmit the conversation or film to a nearby receiver via UHF, VHF, MICROWAVE, BLUETOOTH, CELLPHONE [GSM] or GPS [Tracking]
Detection of Radio Bugging Technology
Our very experienced and fully qualified Electronics Engineer will detect these devices using modern ‘State of Art Equipment’ including Laboratory grade ‘Radio Spectrum Analysers”
Military grade handheld Radio Frequency Near Field Scanners. Our engineer has 40 years’ experience in the operation of this technology
A computer based dynamic, full spectrum, radio scanning system is used to intercept the radio signal and demodulate [convert to audio] any suspicious transmissions detected by the Spectrum Analysers. All of this equipment is of the highest grade and specification and requires a high degree of technical skill to operate. Listening devices of the fixed hard-wired type cannot be detected in this way.
2. Hardwired Bugging Devices
Hardwired devices are similar except they do not utilise radio reception or transmission technology i.e. phone tapping, mini-Recorders with or without remote microphones. These devices are widely available on the high street such as Amazon, Argos or Currys. These recorders are usually secretly placed within the ceiling of the perpetrator and a remote wired microphone cable run via the ceiling space to the target office i.e. a colleague or possibly a manager or CEO
These devices with the built-in battery and memory can often record for up to a week if sound activated.
Detection is only possible by search and examination of wiring furniture and electrical equipment
Physical search
A physical search of the target area is crucial and the root of all Counter Surveillance Operations, whether the target is commercial, residential or a vehicle. A physical search may be the only means to uncover certain non-emitting non radio surveillance devices, such as hard-wired microphones with recorders, fibre optic devices, passive resonators and inactive remote controlled “dormant” devices.
To physically search the whole of a building would be extremely time consuming, expensive and disruptive. The perpetrator would for example gain very little by placing an open microphone to listen in on a busy open plan office, a very noisy call centre area or minor employee's desk area. As very experienced Electronic Surveillance engineers we are aware of course of the limitations of so-called bugging devices. No matter how sophisticated. For it to be effective the listening device is still required to offer its key element, the microphone, to the outside world. Hiding a mic inside a filing cabinet or desk drawer for example would render it almost useless. Where appropriate i.e. specific nominated offices, are ‘fingertip’ searched, for example office furniture, electrical fittings etc searching for the mics and controlling elements i.e. the transmitter batteries or the wiring associated with a hard-wired recording device.
All telephone devices, electrical sockets; light switches, electrical equipment, furnishings, wall coverings, ceilings and floors are very closely inspected. Each telephone set is examined and scanned for radio transmissions and tested for sound activated transmitters. If the base unit or the handset shows any signs of having been dismantled the device is stripped and the internal electronics minutely examined.
Office False Ceilings
False ceilings are a favourite to secret recording devices usually open areas populated by minor employees are very low risk and because of high ambient noise levels a ceiling mounted device for example would be rendered almost useless.
Although these devices are very rarely used, because once discovered the wiring can be traced back to the source i.e. another office, the adjacent building or to a hidden recorder within the cavity itself, [the latter requiring frequent visits by the perpetrator to retrieve tapes and replace batteries etc.]
It is well to be aware of this and where possible high-risk areas are kept secure, if you have a particularly sensitive board meeting, have the room swept before, one of our team will stay there until the meeting starts, or it required during the meeting.
The false ceilings in all of the nominated rooms will be thoroughly inspected for hardwired devices.
With our experience we can easily identify strange and suspicious cable run within ceiling cavities i.e. accessories such as junction boxes, lighting ballast and transformers, air conditioning control systems and networking cable runs etc
Tip Always examine desk areas following a visit from a guest in particular boardrooms or managerial offices don’t leave guests alone if possible.
If the visitor excuses themselves to use the toilet DO NOT discuss business, visitors will often leave a briefcase behind i.e. possibly hidden recorders, GSM mobile phones are a favourite, they have two SIM cards, leave it visible on the table and excuse themselves, then dial in activating the microphone to hear what is being said.
Evidence
If we identify any covert listening or recording devices, we will firstly leave them in situ, photograph and report to the client, if instructed they would be removed, evidenced and given to the client or the authorities.
Vehicle sweeps
We can also sweep your car for covert listening devices / cameras and trackers which are now commonly used by criminals and those wishing to gather intelligence about you, such as the Paparazzi who gather intelligence illegally about celebrities and sell this to the media.
Successful Conclusion.
These professional services are not cheap, but with our experience at the end of the operation, we can genuinely tell the client that there is nothing there or indeed find out that there was, that is what our clients rely on!
“What you say in private is your business, keeping it that way is ours”.
There are many examples in the media of where bugging devices have been discovered, privately or by the authorities: -
Domestic Abuser - https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/darren-querns-domestic-abuser-glasgow-scotland-listening-device
Stalker jailed - https://uk.news.yahoo.com/stalker-neighbour-jailed-after-being-caught-with-listening-devices-he-planted-on-victims-bed
Devious stalker jailed - https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/crime/devious-stalker-installed-secret-listening-device-on-victims-phone-charger-and-tormented-her-with-messages-about-what-he-heard-3728352
Contact us.
Your privacy is worth protecting, if you have a need for this professional service, please contact us https://www.surelock.org/contact-us
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