All of Winona Police Department's Flock cameras cut down and stolen
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All eight Flock cameras in Winona, MN were cut down and stolen in a coordinated theft.
All eight Flock license plate reader cameras operated by the Winona Police Department were sawed off and stolen on Aug. 1 in what police believe was a coordinated theft. Two additional cameras on the Mississippi River Bridge, owned by Buffalo County, were also taken. Each camera is valued at about $3,000, a total loss of roughly $24,000 that falls on the police department's budget. The cameras, placed at key highway entry points, are used to investigate crimes and locate missing persons. The theft is part of a national trend of Flock camera vandalism. No suspects have been identified.
What commenters are saying
Commenters are split: some welcome the theft as a blow to surveillance overreach, while others critique the police narrative, noting the surveillance and data-sharing issues with Flock cameras. Several point out that the police do not own the cameras (likely leased) and may be contractually obligated to replace them, making the budget loss possibly greater. Others question the necessity of constant alerts in a town of 25,000 and highlight that Flock data can be accessed by cops nationwide despite local retention claims. A few note the irony that no suspects have been identified despite the cameras' stated crime-solving purpose.