9 burglaries in Minnesota suspected of disabling cameras by jamming Wi-Fi

- As technology becomes cheaper and more accessible, smart security systems become vulnerable

An analysis of news reports on burglaries involving Wi-Fi jammers reveals considerable prior evidence of such incidents. In January 2020, a post on the Ring community recounted an event where a wireless doorbell from the company failed to detect a porch thief as a result of a Wi-Fi deauthentication attack. Reports of burglars employing Wi-Fi jamming tactics were also prevalent in 2021, 2022, and 2023, with an observable increase in the number of such reports over time.

Ring has been noted as a significant contributor to the video doorbell sector, which seeks to mitigate numerous home security concerns. However, it is essential to acknowledge that other wireless smart home security solutions, such as those from Blink (Amazon) and Nest (Google), are similarly vulnerable to wireless signal disruptions. Alarmingly, by 2024, the capability to jam Wi-Fi signals is projected to become quite simple for would-be thieves. Jammers can be obtained online with ease, with costs varying from $40 to $1,000. Although the use of jammer device is illegal in the United States, they can still be found readily available on the internet.

For anyone curious about the performance of a wireless component home security system, several tips can be helpful. To begin with, connect a device that provides a wired option and facilitates local storage of video footage. Additionally, consider employing smart home technology to create the appearance of activity within your home. It may also be beneficial to verify whether your system can alert you in case of a lost signal or connection, and to experiment with these settings.

Authorities in Edina, Minnesota, have linked a serial burglar to the use of a Wi-Fi jammer, which was allegedly employed to disrupt security cameras before the theft of valuables from victims. Minnesota is not commonly associated with cutting-edge technology, so it may not be unexpected that there have been reports of Wi-Fi jammers-related burglaries in the U.S. over recent years. This highlights the fact that even those engaged in criminal activities are leveraging technology, underscoring the need for homeowners to consider security enhancements.

The police department in Edina suspects that a series of nine home burglaries within the last six months were carried out with the assistance of Wi-Fi jammers, which likely hindered investigators from retrieving video evidence related to the crimes.

The thieves modus operandi is believed to be:

• Homes in affluent areas
• The thieves carefully monitor the homes
• The thieves avoid confrontation, so appear to wait until the homes are empty
• The thieves deploy Wi-Fi jammers when the homes are empty

Jammers are designed to confuse wireless devices rather than to block signals outright. They usually do not succeed in transmitting real traffic because they overload the wireless communication channels.