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On a recent trip to Cancun, tourist Arturo Brunello had the unfortunate experience of having his hotel room broken into while he was away. Fortunately, he had the foresight to set up a hidden camera. He took to TikTok to share footage of a resort employee apparently rummaging through his personal belongings, clearly looking for valuables.
The clip shows a man who appears to be wearing a housekeeper’s uniform walking into the room while Brunello was away. The individual then begins scanning the room before helping himself to a can of beer.
He was then captured going through Brunello’s private possessions, checking the drawers and personal valuables before inspecting his luggage.
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While there is no mention of the resort’s name in the video, Brunello details the reasoning behind his decision at the tail end of the clip. He also explains that he didn’t expect anything like this to happen; he recounts getting startled when his Apple app alerted him when there was movement in the room. He’s glad that he caught the individual in the act.
In his words, he said, “Our vacation got weird. I won’t be naming the hotel because they handled this situation very well. Just be careful out there and use technology to your advantage.”
Brunello expressed his amazement that the intruder did not take his laptop as this was the technology used as the recording device. In his caption, he states, “I’m honestly surprised he didn’t see the green light on my webcam. Next time, I will be blacking it out.”
Using A Security Camera In Plain Sight
Many viewers who watched the footage made it known that they find this unsettling. They also asked which program was used to record the event on the computer. Brunello revealed that he uses an app called iSentry, noting that he finds it superior to other options because of the motion detection notification feature.
He further explains that the laptop is to be left open while the window is minimized with the screen brightness turned off. To keep the laptop from going to sleep, it must be plugged in the entire time with adjusted power save settings.
The clip didn’t show the employee taking anything, but Brunello responded to one comment in particular stating that there was something else caught on camera that he couldn’t share on TikTok.
At the time of this post, the video trails over 3.2 million views with some very engaging comments.
@arturbo86 Our vacation got weird. I won't be naming the hotel because they handled this situation very well. Just be careful out there and use technology to your advantage. I'm honestly surprised he didn't see the green light on my webcam. Next time, I will be blacking it out. Again the app is called iSentry. There are others in the app store but this one was able to send me email notifications when it detected motion. 10/10 would recommend. #mexico #resort #cancun #traveltiktok #traveltips #travelhack #catchapredator #caughtoncamera #messedup #busted ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys – Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey
The Hotel
The employee was fired on the spot, according to Brunello. He claims that management handled the situation well. Therefore, he will keep the name of the hotel private.
However, not all hotel guests have this same luck. He shared that many reviews mentioned theft occurring at that resort, but there was no concrete evidence. With Cancun being the largest tourist destination in Latin America, people want to be able to go on vacation without having to worry about their belongings being stolen.
Always Keep Valuables With You
As anyone who has ever stayed in hotels knows, one of the most important things is feeling safe and secure in your room. This incident just goes to show that it pays to be prepared when traveling. According to Brunello, it was his first time using a security camera in his room. He is grateful that he made this decision because it luckily paid off. He ended the video advising others to be vigilant.
Wherever you go, it is always the best method to always keep your most valuables on you, especially your wallet and passport. You never know when something like this might happen. With an increase in travel concerns, it is essential to have a plan for your personal belongings.
Have you ever experienced anything like this?
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Michele
Saturday 15th of October 2022
This is too bad, but not surprising. I always expect that something may happen to my belongings, even staying at places in the US I don't trust that a hotel employee won't go through things and take things. It's why I was this close to purchasing a Pacsafe portable safe for travel this past sumer. This definitely is convincing me it would be a good purchase.