Extortion and Hidden Camera

[jgalt44]

Would it be possible for the victim of extortion to ask police to install a hidden camera (audio and video) in the victim's living room? The idea being to catch the suspect on tape demanding the money. The location is in Illinois, where you can have hidden video but not audio recordings as long as it is not in a expected privacy location. Would you

Comments

Expectation of privacy?

[kenneycop]

There are two things you have to remember. One, you can record anything in your own home at anytime. Law Enforcement is bound by the law, and the Constitution to follow protocol (4th amendment). I'm sure a home owner can record, audio or visual in their own home any conversation they wish along as it's not in a place where privacy is expected, like the bathroom.

With that said, a police officer would most likely have to obtain some kind of warrant or order from a court. However, a private home owner, not working for the police can on his own record in their own home what goes on within their home at anytime. Part of the problem with your question is, once you ask Law Enforcement to record the conversation, you now become an agent of L.E. if you record, collect evidence for the purpose of prosecution. It would not be permitted without a warrant or court order.

Many people have security cameras posted inside and outside of their homes and many time, when a crime occurs, law enforcement gathers this evidence up to prosecute the suspect. Why is this? Because, that is one purpose of security camera's, to collect evidence of a crime, which in most cases the home owner didn't plan ahead of time with law enforcements help.