Police: Man used high-tech spyware to keep tabs on ex-girlfriend

WARMINSTER, Pa. (WPVI) -- Warminster Township police say what looked like a basic USB adapter was actually a small piece of spyware, and that it was set up by a Bucks County man to keep track of an ex he wasn't ready to let go.

The piece of spy equipment had tiny microphones that were mounted on the sides and a camera in the front, and they say it was used by 23-year-old Robert Minch to spy on his ex girlfriend.

On Friday Warminster Township Police Chief James Donnelly says Minch has confessed.

"Our understanding is he had 'trust issues going forward' is how he explained it to her and us," Chief Donnelly said.

Donnelly says back on March 18th they responded to a call at Minch's ex-girlfriend's home on Wellington Drive.

Court records state that Minch called his ex-girlfriend that morning to discuss where she had been the previous night.

The Chief says the ex became suspicious that she was being spied on somehow when Minch knew certain details.

"She found it odd and suspicious that he knew certain things she was talking about with family members inside her own residences. She questioned him about it," Donnelly said.

According to police, that's when Minch confessed to his ex and told her he mounted the USB into an outlet.

"It was a Wi-Fi device he was able to pick up into the Wi-Fi in the house or on his phone and sit anywhere he wanted and pick it up," the chief said.

Action News spoke with Scott Black, who owns The Spy Shop on Main Street in Bethlehem and is an expert on this kind of technology.

Black says there's an app you can download called "Fing" that will run a scan and then show you any device that could be connected to your Wi-Fi.

"That's the beauty of this free app. It will determine any device that is on your network. So, if you see some goofy brand or model number then you wanna take the second step," Black said.

The second step is getting a scanner he sells that will then help you detect it in your home. The bars on it will light up red next to anything transmitting.

"If there's anything transmitting, whether it's W-Fi or anything else, it will detect it," he said.

Meanwhile, Minch faces a variety of charges.

Court records state that the couple had been broken up a few weeks before Minch planted the device inside.

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