Homeowners equipped with security cameras and alarm systems are being warned about a new and cunning criminal trend in Miami-Dade County. Authorities have reported instances where thieves are using Wi-Fi jammers to disable these security systems.
Roger Williams, a resident of the Four Ambassadors condominiums in Brickell, shared his experience with Local 10 after falling victim to this sophisticated burglary tactic. Williams, who has a camera installed on his doorbell, recounted how the camera recorded two deliveries, only for a suspicious individual to later be seen hovering around the packages. "You see them, there's no one at my door, and then suddenly, poof, they're gone," Williams described.
Williams suspects that this individual, whom he calls a "pirate," used a clever method to circumvent his security. "I think he might have used some sort of modifier for my Internet connection," Williams explained, noting that he was out of town when the intruder struck. "You could see him doing something on his phone and then he disappears around the corner," Williams narrated. Following this, the camera's signal was abruptly lost. By the time it was restored, the packages had vanished.
How the Crime Unfolded
In the surveillance footage, Williams asserts that the alleged thief is visible in the elevator, carrying what appear to be the stolen packages in a bag, precisely when the camera's signal was disrupted. Williams reached out to the doorbell camera company for answers. "They told me the signal had degraded during that time, but they couldn't confirm if it was hacked or whatever, they just blamed my internet connection," he lamented.
Authorities' Response and Warnings
The Miami Police Department is actively investigating the theft, and the theory that criminals may be using Wi-Fi jammers is not far-fetched. Police in California had already cautioned residents in that state about this tactic earlier in the spring.
"As technology becomes increasingly advanced, we must adapt," warned Miami police officer Rafael Horta. "Cameras with an SD card that continue recording even when not connected to Wi-Fi are always a great idea, or a traditional wired camera," he added.