FLORHAM PARK, NJ — Police in Florham Park, New Jersey are warning residents about robbers who may be using Wi-Fi jammers to prevent victims from using their phones to call for help.
Florham Park police are investigating an attempted robbery involving a Wi-Fi jammer
Police say around 11:30 a.m. Monday, a Florham Park resident was in his basement when he heard a loud noise coming from the main floor. When he checked the video from his surveillance cameras in his home, he saw a stranger trying to enter his home.
According to the police, the camera system and the man’s mobile phone subsequently failed.
Police suspect the suspect used a Wi-Fi jammer: a device about the size of a smartphone that disables devices that use signals.
Police say the suspect fled and the victim, still unable to use his phone, ran outside and flagged down a pedestrian, who helped him call 911. Officers arrived quickly, but police say the suspect was already gone.
“The time it took for that person, the victim, to come out of his home and alert a passerby and tell him to call the police was enough time for the person to leave that area,” said Florham Park police Lt. . said Brian Ford.
Wi-Fi jammers can even block signals from police walkie-talkies, home alarm systems, and surveillance cameras connected via Wi-Fi. They are illegal under federal law, and lawmaker Carol Murphy introduced legislation earlier this year to criminalize them at the state level.
“Every time I see something like this, I think, ‘Wow, I need to pass my law,’ because it’s about giving law enforcement the tools to do what they need to do. And I never want to ask for any more seeing stories like this,” Murphy said.
In a statement, Florham Park Police Chief Joseph Orlando said, “While Wi-Fi jamming devices are not new to the criminal underworld, this is the first time we have seen or heard of such devices being used in Morris County.”
No arrests have been made.
Police warn of ‘South American Theft Group’
Florham Park police may link this incident to thieves known as the “South American Theft Group.”
According to police, they usually work in groups of three and have been known to place hidden cameras in the yard to monitor the routines of potential victims.
Police recommend changing your routine if possible, checking and reporting suspicious devices and cars in and around your property, and even purchasing wired surveillance cameras and landline phones.
