The Los Angeles Police Department has warned residents to be wary of thieves using technology to break into homes undetected. High-tech burglars have apparently knocked out their victims’ wireless cameras and alarms in the Los Angeles Wilshire-area neighborhoods before getting away with swag bags full of valuables. An LAPD social media post highlights the Wi-Fi jammer-supported burglaries and provides a helpful checklist of precautions residents can take.

Criminals can easily find the hardware for Wi-Fi jamming online. It can also be cheap, with prices starting from $40. However, jammers are illegal to use in the U.S.

We have previously reported on Wi-Fi jammer-assisted burglaries in Edina, Minnesota. Criminals deployed Wi-Fi jammer(s) to ensure homeowners weren’t alerted of intrusions and that incriminating video evidence wasn’t available to investigators.

  • TragicNotCute@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    Even beyond renting, installing a wifi camera is SO much cheaper than running Ethernet all over your house. And if you need it run through an external wall? Even more money.

    • cm0002@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      Not if you DIY. I just finished a project, not only wiring all rooms for Ethernet, but PoE for 10 exterior cameras.

      You can get 500ft Cat 5e boxes off eBay for like ~$20, an extra long 1/2 inch drill bit (for punching through the exterior wall) was like another 20. Most expensive part was probably the metal conduit for the outside runs (I decided to only have 2 or 3 holes to the outside and run the cables in the conduit along the soffit to converge to one of 3 exterior holes for final routing within the house. That was probably 150-250)

      All in all after estimating for secondary costs, like screws, brackets, sealant, a caulk gun, ceiling bracket for ceiling routing indoors etc this project was probably <400, pretty cheap as far as home improvement projects go

        • ShepherdPie@midwest.social
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          4 months ago

          Do you really need either when you’re running the cable down the soffit where it’ll never really get exposed to sun or rain?

          • hemmes@lemmy.world
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            4 months ago

            No - I use some standard stuff in areas like that, when I’m able to come right out and under the soffit or siding. If I have to make a run, closer to the ground, with a brick facade, I’ll use it. I won’t go crazy actually trying to burry it when it stays near my house hidden by shrubs.

            I have buried it for customers that require connections located in dislocated structures - trenches and filling by others though. 😅

            • ShepherdPie@midwest.social
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              4 months ago

              Good because I didn’t use either and also tucked mine up in the soffit albeit with some short runs before they go into the attic. It is not something I’d like to revisit 😆

    • The Pantser@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      Not that expensive to do it yourself. Getting a fish tape and a cheaper Ethernet termination kit would set you back at most $50. Only other tools you need is a drill and most homeowners should already have that. And a really long bit is cheap at harbour freight.

      • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works
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        4 months ago

        Yup, cost isn’t the issue, time and patience are. In order to run cables down my walls, I’d need to wade through 2-3 feet of insulation fluff in my attic while stepping only on roof cross-beams, all with only like 7 feet of space at the center (way less at the edges). The cable and tools will only cost $100-200, but the whole process is a giant pain to actually do.

    • Obinice@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      Even beyond renting, installing a wifi camera is SO much cheaper than running Ethernet all over your house. And if you need it run through an external wall? Even more money.

      A bit of plastic trunking, an ethernet cable, and a long masonry bit for your hammer drill to get through the brick wall, oh and a little sealant, not that expensive, I believe in you!