Weekend Spy Story Catch-Up

Lots has been going on over the weekend in the world of spying, spy equipment, and covert cover-ups – here’s the best of the latest stories…

Ryan Fogle (not the explorer – that’s Ben Fogle!)

Fogle, who was accused by Russia of being a spy, has now left the country.  Footage was released over the weekend of the US diplomat passing through security at Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow.  Fogle was ordered to leave Russia last week after initial accusations of attempting to recruit Russian intelligence officers as spies.

Litvinenko Poisoning Saga Continues

The widow of Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko has called for an inquest into his death to be cancelled, and for a public inquiry to take place instead.  Litvinenko’s wife Maria is convinced that it is the only way in which the mystery surrounding his death will be uncovered.  Litvinenko was poisoned through contact with radioactive polonium in London seven years ago.  Although the use of different forms of spy equipment by the Russians is not unheard of, the use of polonium was so shocking – as were photos of Litvinenko on his death bed – that the whole nation was gripped by this story of espionage and dodgy dealings in the spy underworld.

Two men were executed in Iran on Sunday, convicted of working for rival government spy agencies.  Mohammad Heidari and Kourosh Ahmadi were hanged at dawn after being accused of spying and being undercover agents.  In the official court report, there were no details about when the pair were arrested nor when their trial took place (assuming a trial took place at all).

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The widow of the former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko has called for the upcoming inquest into his death to be abandoned and replaced with a public inquiry.

Marina Litvinenko said it was the only way to establish the truth about the death of her husband, who was poisoned with radioactive polonium in London in 2006.

The coroner has ruled that the inquest could not take evidence on possible Russian state involvement, citing national security.

My Turn As A Spy

Here’s our review on the stylish pen voice recorder…

Neatly packaged, and with full instructions,  this looks good to go and I’m excited about trying it out on my unsuspecting family!  This fantastic voice recorder look exactly like a normal writing pen and has a nice weighed feel of a quality writing implement, as opposed to those cheap plasticky ones.  Just checking…it does actually write too – bonus!

Trying it out, first upon my mum who is ranting on the phone no doubt to some poor relative, I manage to record the whole of her conversation by leaving the pen by the notepad which she keeps by the phone.  I manage to learn all about the neighbourly goings-on, and mum even used the pen to write down a date she’s been given for an upcoming family event – I stifle a giggle at this.

Next up is my married older brother who has popped by for the evening to scoff mum’s food as his wife is out at the gym and mum’s cooking is the easier alternative to actually making his own food.  I tuck the pen behind my ear and proceed to ask him if my lovely sister-in-law knows he’s cheating by not cooking himself.  He smugly tells me no, and that if I tell her, he’ll simply deny everything.  I retrieve the pen from behind my ear, point it in his direction and tell him “mum’s the word”!

Dad’s up next, but there’s some rather dull ramblings in front of the footy so I leave the pen on the side and decide to partake in some of mum’s offerings from the kitchen.  Dad walks in ten minutes later and I have to check twice before I realise that’s my pen voice recorded poking out of his shirt pocket.  Seems like it was a bit too nice to be leaving around after all…

Home Security With The Help Of Spy Equipment

Most people are under the impression that spy equipment is just for private investigators, or those with cheating partners – but there is spy equipment available which can help you on a day-to-day basis in your home.

If you are living in a shared house – or have teenage children! – then the monthly phone bill can be a subject of contention.  Sometime expensive, or long calls are made and you need to know who to direct the bill towards in the household.  Luckily, there are some great spy gadgets on the market which can help put an end to this situation once and for all.  Investing in a telephone recording device will enable you to find out who has been making those expensive calls.

When it comes to protecting your home,  surveillance equipment in the form of security cameras are a great way to ensure you feel safe at all times.  They are also useful if you have your suspicions about the goings-on in your property when you are not around – again, very useful for a shared house or if you have a lodger.  One way of confirming or dismissing these suspicions is through the use of a 3G spy camera.  Cameras such as these can be placed in a discreet location of your choice, and you can watch the live footage simply by dialling into the camera through your mobile phone.

Anti-social behaviour is a hot topic at the moment, and instances of this type of crime seem to be on the rise.  The majority of these incidents take place during the dark hours, which is when night vision devices really come into their own.  Night vision cameras record excellent footage, even when it’s pitch black outside.

We all need to make the effort to keep our homes safe.  Safeguarding your property with spy equipment is one way of making sure you feel safe and secure both day and night.