- Title: USA: SPY SHOP.
- Date: 22nd February 2001
- Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, USA (FEBRUARY 21, 2001) (RVN - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV/CU: QUARK INTERNATIONAL (3 SHOTS) 0.12 2. GV/PAN: SHOWROOM OF QUARK INTERNATIONAL 0.19 3. CU: BUG DETECTION DEVICE IN OPERATION/ ANOTHER BUG DETECTION DEVICE (3 SHOTS) 0.32 4. MCU: SOUNDBITE (English) GREGG GRAISON, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, QUARK INTERNATIONAL, "My opinion is that it's bigger than ever. You have audio listening devices, wire-tapping equipment, data intercept equipment readily available round the world now, in a lot of countries, that it's illegal in America to possess. Certainly most countries where it's not illegal to possess and very legal to sell." 0.51 5. CU/TILT: TELEPHONE RECORDING EQUIPMENT 0.59 6. MCU: ISAIAH GAREFINO, QUARK INTERNATIONAL, DEMONSTRATING EYEGLASS CAMERA 1.09 7. CU: MANNEQUIN WEARING SEVERAL HIDDEN VIDEOCAMERAS/ EYEGLASSES WITH VIDEO CAMERA/ WRISTWATCH WITH VIDEO CAMERA/ PEN WITH VIDEO CAMERA/ WALKMAN WITH VIDEO CAMERA/ TIE AND JACKET WITH VIDEO CAMERA (6 SHOTS) 1.34 8. GV/CU: WATERPROOF VIDEO CAMERA IN FISH TANK/ VIEW OF FISH FROM WATERPROOF VIDEO CAMERA (3 SHOTS) 1.46 9. CU: THERMOSTAT WITH HIDDEN VIDEO CAMERA/ CLOCK WITH HIDDEN VIDEO CAMERA (2 SHOTS) 1.51 10. CU: GAREFINO DEMONSTRATING HIGH-TECH WIRELESS MINIATURE VIDEO CAMERA/ SMOKE DETECTOR WITH HIDDEN VIDEO CAMERA ( 2 SHOTS) 2.02 11. MCU: SOUNDBITE (English) GRAISON, "It doesn't matter what industry it is. From Silicon Valley to pharmeceutical industries to all different types of industries, unfortunately today it is easier to steal ideas than it is to create your own." 2.14 12. CU: MINI EARPIECE TRANSMITTER/ RECEIVER (2 SHOTS) 2.22 13. MV: BULLET-PROOF UMBRELLA 2.29 14. MV/TILT: NIGHT VISION EQUIPMENT 2.36 15. MV: SOUNDBITE (English) GAREFINO, "Well, what it does is it takes all existing light and amplifies it approximately 30,000 times. So you can even stand in complete darkness - which we are actually in right now - and see everything perfectly clear." 2.49 16. MV/CU: ELECTRIC SHOCK BRIEFCASE/ BULLET-PROOF VESTS AND JACKETS/ DEMONSTRATION OF BULLET-PROOF/STAB-PROOF MATERIAL/ DEMONSTRATION OF BULLET-PROOF BRIEFCASE/WEAPON RETRIEVAL SYSTEM (5 SHOTS) 3.37 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 9th March 2001 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, USA
- City:
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVAB5NK9GW3TV6D9E72X0PS9214B
- Story Text: Accused FBI spy Robert Hanssen has put espionage back
in the headlines. In the post-Cold War landscape, the spy game
has gone corporate. Large companies as well as governments are
at risk of subterfuge. For one Manhattan store that
specialises in protecting a company's information as well as
their employees, business is good.
If James Bond made a shopping trip to New York City,
Quark International would surely be his first stop. This
Manhattan store specialises in the kind of state of the art
equipment that would even have Bond's gadget master Q
salivating.
When people think of the spy game, Cold War battles
between the eastern and western countries come to mind. These
days, big buck are made - and lost - from corporate espionage.
Quark International sells telephone recording equipment
to listening device detectors that can sniff out the most
sophisticated bug. Gregg Graison's client list includes Saudi
Princes, celebrities, and CEOs, but he can't mention any of
their names.
Many of his clients are concerned about corporate
espionage. And he always gets a boost in enquiries when cases
like Hanssen's hit the front page. The spy game, he says, did
not go away with the Iron Curtain. Graison said, "My opinion
is that it's bigger than ever. You have audio listening
devices, wiretapping equipment, data intercept equipment
readily available round the world now, a lot of countries,
that it's illegal in America to possess. Certainly most
countries where it's not illegal to possess and very legal to
sell."
Quark can put a video camera just about anywhere -
eyeglasses, wristwatches, pagers, walkmen, smoke detectors.
Their most high-tech camera is smaller than a pen. It has
colour and night vision modes and can wirelessly transmit
video with encryption to prevent any interception of the
material. Depending on accessories, that unit will cost
between $3500 - 6,000 dollars.
They will even sell you a waterproof video camera. But
one would have to be ultra paranoid to suspect their goldfish
of espionage.
Graison said that electronic espionage losses in the
United States alone amount in the billions, though many
corporations are reluctant to report espionage-related losses.
What's the reason for so much corporate spying? Graison said,
"Unfortunately today it is easier to steal ideas than it is to
create your own."
Espionage is not the only threat to companies. In an
increasingly dangerous world, globe-trotting employees are
also at risk. Many of Quark's clients are concerned about
kidnapping and robbery. Quark provides an array of protection
devices. What senior executive wouldn't want to take a
bullet-proof umbrella on that business trip to Chechnya?
Military grade night vision makes it possible to see in
total darkness. Isaiah Garefino stood in pitch black darkness
for this interview. He said, "What it does is it takes all
existing light and amplifies it approximately 30,000 times. So
you can even stand in complete darkness - which we are
actually in right now - and see everything perfectly clear."
Anyone who steals this briefcase has a shock in store
for them. 50,000 volts would make it hard to keep a grip on
the situation. The electric shocking briefcase costs from $600
- 1900.
This $2,000 briefcase can stop a bullet with a built in
high-grade armour plate. It is also an easily accessible place
to store your gun. Eat your heart out James Bond.
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