A small camera in a discarded potato chip bag. Low profile, foil wrap makes an excellent mirror for the lens. Winds move similar bags so it would be unnoticed flying in small circles a foot above the sidewalk. Small fan inside bag provides power.

The gum on the sidewalk has several location bugs in it. Person gets it stuck on shoe, then person shows up on map of city for all to see.

If person tries to scrape it off, get a sample of any hairs, fibers or rubber on the sole of his/her shoe. Can this help you solve last weeks crime.

The ball of crumpled up paper is actually another bug. This hides perfectly in any office setting. It is actually a crumpled paper shell around a plastic sphere with wheels inside. This little ball of trash that can, rolls around any office looking for suitable video or audio feed to upload. If caught rolling around in a video or in front of anyone the employees are blamed for playing during work.

I hope I didn't give away any government secret.
-- sartep, Mar 19 2004

great in London where they took all the litter bins away to prevent the IRA leaving bombs in them!
-- po, Mar 19 2004


This implies litter lying around is acceptable. It's not.
-- saker, Mar 19 2004


Great in Cleveland where they took the trash cans away because the mayor's broke.
-- k_sra, Mar 19 2004


London, Cleveland, NYC, any place in northern NJ. Buahahahaha! This works too well.
-- sartep, Mar 19 2004


How ironic. Here I am videotaping this beautiful white plastic bag that’s blowing around in circles, and there it is videotaping me right back.
-- AO, Mar 19 2004


The police already use trash (coffee cups, gum, cigarette ends, etc.) *discarded* by criminals to get surreptitious samples of DNA perfectly legally. They're even known to offer coffee to suspects for this purpose.

A good few years ago now, someone wrote a story, Slow Glass, where in the end, the world was blanketed with sand-particle-sized surveillance devices.
-- DrCurry, Mar 19 2004



random, halfbakery