Reports of vandalized Flock Safety cameras are becoming more common, with the latest incident coming from Winona, Minnesota, where several cameras were reportedly sawed off overnight.
Flock cameras have sparked controversy across the United States, largely due to privacy concerns. Critics argue the technology enables widespread surveillance and allows authorities to track people’s movements more easily.
While Flock Safety says its camera network has helped law enforcement reduce crime and recover stolen vehicles, privacy advocates maintain that the technology raises important civil liberties concerns that remain unresolved.
The Winona incident may reflect growing public backlash against expanded surveillance. It also follows several recent cases in which Flock cameras have been vandalized, suggesting the technology is facing increasing resistance in some communities.
Eight Flock Cameras Have Been Stolen
According to a report by KSTP, investigators launched an investigation Saturday night after Winona police noticed that the cameras had gone offline.
Officers then searched the sites where the Flock cameras had been installed, only to find the poles had been cut near the base. The poles were discarded in the weeds nearby, while the cameras were extracted and stolen.
The Winona police stated that the thefts took place between July 29 and August 1. Each camera and pole is said to be worth around $3,000, according to law enforcement.
Police revealed that two cameras were stolen from each of the four locations. They are as follows:
- Highway 61 and Bundy Boulevard
- Highway 61 and Highway 14
- Highway 14 and Knopp Valley Drive
- Highway 43 and Homer Road
Past Incidents Suggest Growing Discontent
The Winona thefts are the latest incidents involving Flock Safety cameras in Minnesota. Stolen or damaged cameras have been reported from Duluth, Plymouth, Faribault, Edina, and Anoka County.
In Duluth, five Flock camera thefts were reported, while another camera was damaged. The incidents occurred in June and July. In Anoka County, officials stated that a deputy reported a damaged camera in Nowthen in May. However, no arrests have been made in either case.
In another incident, authorities charged a man in his 40s late last month for allegedly stealing a Flock Safety camera in Faribault, saying he intended to dismantle the device.
Similar incidents have also been reported elsewhere in Minnesota. In nearby Plymouth, two cameras were damaged in late July, with one torn down and left in pieces, while another was disabled after its power cable was cut.
Edina police say four Flock Safety cameras have been vandalized since the city introduced the system in 2023. Winona police have urged citizens with any information about the theft to call 507-457-6302.
Related: Two Flock Cameras Go Up in Flames, Police Say It Was No Accident