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Photography Shenanigans
Part of my job involves a "Guardian" based role - looking out for danger and potential security breaches that may concern visitors. This is fairly important where I work, because I work on a site protected by the Serious Organised Crime & Police Act, so there's quite a lot of things to keep in mind while on the premises. You can guess where I work as much as you like - I'm not going to name-drop, so use your imagination.
The most common things I look out for are Cameras and Mobile Phones (or other electronic communication devices). They're not allowed to be used at all.
So, here's how it all went down...
Photography Shenanigans
I'm just going on a break after being relieved from my position - a co-worker stops me for a quick word as I'm walking by.
CW: "I'm not sure, but I think I just saw a woman with a camera over there."
Me: "Alright, well, I'm about to go on break, but I'll keep an eye out for-"
Up comes the camera, and the inevitable red sensor blink. Camera goes down again quite quickly.
Snaking through the other guests, I make my way over to the culprit, who appears to be sitting down quite innocently with a small bag, clutching onto her entry ticket in her hands.
Me: "Excuse me, can I see your camera?"
SC ignores me.
Me: Waving in front of the SC - "Excuse me. I just saw you take a picture. Can I see your camera?"
Sure enough, SC moves the ticket aside - she'd been hiding the camera underneath the ticket. She presses the power button, and the screen comes on. Very quickly, she presses the button again.
SC: "Oh, it's run out of battery."
Me: "I'm sorry, but I'm really not that stupid. Can you turn it on again please?"
The SC turns the camera back on, and then starts randomly mashing buttons, trying to look clueless with the camera.
Me: "I know what you're trying to do, madam, so you can either co-operate with me, or I'll call the Supervisor and he can deal with you. Try that blue switch over there."
The pictures appear. She proceeds to delete the one I caught her taking, and immediately switches the camera off before I have a chance to see any of her other pictures, and then puts the camera down again. At this point, I've had enough of losing my break and go off to enjoy what's left of my break.
Half an hour later, I come back from my break into the same room, on a different position. That one's a "roaming" position, so I can go wherever I like. Again, I get to have a quick chat with another colleague:
CW2: "You see that woman over there?"
Me: "Yeah, I know. She was taking pictures earlier. What's she done this time?"
CW2: "We caught her taking some more. I called the Supervisor, and he said that if we catch her again, we're evicting her from the premises."
Me: "Cool. I'll be keeping an eye."
Using my freedom of movement, I closely shadow the SC around the room, circling the main display twice, circling the smaller display three times, leaving the room, returning 5 minutes later, doing another two loops of each display, and then leaving again.
This lady has earned a title among some of the staff as "That crazy camera lady" for obvious reasons.
BONUS - It's not a phone!
This particular room is a popular spot to catch people breaking the rules. I'm still trying to find out why.
A man walks by me with a phone in his hand, doing something on Facebook. I've spotted him, and I move-in for the kill.
Me: "Excuse me, sir. Could you please switch the phone off?"
SC: Tuts - "It's not a phone!"
...then what is it? A "Smartphone"? A"Nokia"? A "Mobile"? Judging by the guest's American accent, I guess he was looking for "Cellphone" or something. It still doesn't change the meaning of the word, the device, or the rules you're breaking.
The most common things I look out for are Cameras and Mobile Phones (or other electronic communication devices). They're not allowed to be used at all.
So, here's how it all went down...
Photography Shenanigans
I'm just going on a break after being relieved from my position - a co-worker stops me for a quick word as I'm walking by.
CW: "I'm not sure, but I think I just saw a woman with a camera over there."
Me: "Alright, well, I'm about to go on break, but I'll keep an eye out for-"
Up comes the camera, and the inevitable red sensor blink. Camera goes down again quite quickly.
Snaking through the other guests, I make my way over to the culprit, who appears to be sitting down quite innocently with a small bag, clutching onto her entry ticket in her hands.
Me: "Excuse me, can I see your camera?"
SC ignores me.
Me: Waving in front of the SC - "Excuse me. I just saw you take a picture. Can I see your camera?"
Sure enough, SC moves the ticket aside - she'd been hiding the camera underneath the ticket. She presses the power button, and the screen comes on. Very quickly, she presses the button again.
SC: "Oh, it's run out of battery."
Me: "I'm sorry, but I'm really not that stupid. Can you turn it on again please?"
The SC turns the camera back on, and then starts randomly mashing buttons, trying to look clueless with the camera.
Me: "I know what you're trying to do, madam, so you can either co-operate with me, or I'll call the Supervisor and he can deal with you. Try that blue switch over there."
The pictures appear. She proceeds to delete the one I caught her taking, and immediately switches the camera off before I have a chance to see any of her other pictures, and then puts the camera down again. At this point, I've had enough of losing my break and go off to enjoy what's left of my break.
Half an hour later, I come back from my break into the same room, on a different position. That one's a "roaming" position, so I can go wherever I like. Again, I get to have a quick chat with another colleague:
CW2: "You see that woman over there?"
Me: "Yeah, I know. She was taking pictures earlier. What's she done this time?"
CW2: "We caught her taking some more. I called the Supervisor, and he said that if we catch her again, we're evicting her from the premises."
Me: "Cool. I'll be keeping an eye."
Using my freedom of movement, I closely shadow the SC around the room, circling the main display twice, circling the smaller display three times, leaving the room, returning 5 minutes later, doing another two loops of each display, and then leaving again.
This lady has earned a title among some of the staff as "That crazy camera lady" for obvious reasons.
BONUS - It's not a phone!
This particular room is a popular spot to catch people breaking the rules. I'm still trying to find out why.
A man walks by me with a phone in his hand, doing something on Facebook. I've spotted him, and I move-in for the kill.
Me: "Excuse me, sir. Could you please switch the phone off?"
SC: Tuts - "It's not a phone!"
...then what is it? A "Smartphone"? A"Nokia"? A "Mobile"? Judging by the guest's American accent, I guess he was looking for "Cellphone" or something. It still doesn't change the meaning of the word, the device, or the rules you're breaking.
Pure evil. I love it! 
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