Police search for stolen FLOCK cameras in Auburn
The short version: ABC10 reports three Flock Safety license plate readers were stolen in Auburn, highlighting how physically vulnerable these surveillance boxes really are.
Our Take
Credit to ABC10 for covering this one, because it's a story that cuts right to the heart of the Flock Safety sales pitch: these cameras are supposed to be an untouchable, always-on surveillance net, yet someone in Auburn apparently just walked off with three of them. That's not a dig at the thieves — it's a reminder that these units sit on public poles with minimal security, collecting plate data on every passing driver, while the company and local police departments act like the system is bulletproof.
What's missing from coverage like this is the bigger picture: how many of these cameras are bolted up in your town right now, who approved them, and what happens to the data they've already vacuumed up before anyone noticed a camera was missing. Theft, vandalism, and tampering incidents keep popping up around the country, and they're a symptom of communities having ALPRs installed with little public input or oversight in the first place.
If you want to know whether Auburn — or your own neighborhood — is wired up with Flock gear, check our camera map. And if you'd rather your town not find out about a $2,500 surveillance pole the hard way, our take-action page has steps for pushing back before the next contract gets signed.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of ABC10, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.