We have a puppy we've been trying to housebreak.?

We've been using pads, and she will use them, but also will squat on the floor right in front of us and urinate or poo like she thinks she's supposed to there or something. We've only punished her when we catch her in the act by shouting "NO!!" and she will jump like she knows it's wrong, or when she's done it while we're gone, when we arrive home she hides because she knows we saw it. It's frustrating. She also tears things up in the house but ONLY when we leave to go to the store or something. It's like she knows when we are SUPPOSED to be gone (like to work) and when we leave again and "just leave her" there and she will literally poo all over the house and jump on the coffee table and find something to tear up. I remove all items from there that my daughter leaves out and make her put them away since the dog already chewed up a Wii remote cord. That was my husband's fault for leaving it out when I've asked him to put it up...but anyway, bad subject....apparently, pad training has not worked so what about crates? Is it too late to switch?