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LAPD warns residents after spike in burglaries using Wi-Fi jammers that disable security cameras, smart doorbells (www.tomshardware.com)

submitted 4 months ago by lemmee_in@lemm.ee to c/technology@lemmy.world

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The Los Angeles Police Department has warned residents to be wary of thieves using technology to break into homes undetected. High-tech burglars have apparently knocked out their victims' wireless cameras and alarms in the Los Angeles Wilshire-area neighborhoods before getting away with swag bags full of valuables. An LAPD social media post highlights the Wi-Fi jammer-supported burglaries and provides a helpful checklist of precautions residents can take.

Criminals can easily find the hardware for Wi-Fi jamming online. It can also be cheap, with prices starting from $40. However, jammers are illegal to use in the U.S.

We have previously reported on Wi-Fi jammer-assisted burglaries in Edina, Minnesota. Criminals deployed Wi-Fi jammer(s) to ensure homeowners weren't alerted of intrusions and that incriminating video evidence wasn't available to investigators.

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[–] seathru@lemmy.sdf.org 3 points 4 months ago (1 children)

You'd be surprised. A CB radio with a high wattage amplifier is enough to scramble analog hardwired cameras when its keyed up.

[–] cmnybo@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I regularly transmit 100 watts on HF using a dipole over my house. That's never knocked any of my IP cameras out. It's going to take more power than that, especially if you want to stay far enough away that the cameras can't get good video of you.

[–] seathru@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I'm talking semis with ~1000 watt linears. And analog hardwired cameras. I can watch it happen at work.

[–] cmnybo@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 4 months ago

That doesn't surprise me, it's a lot easier to interfere with analog video signals and 1kW is a lot of power. Some ferrite beads and better coax can make them much less susceptible to interference though.

CB amplifiers are not well known for producing clean signals, especially when the operator is trying to get as much power out as possible.