All Eight Winona Flock Surveillance Cameras Stolen in Recent Theft

Winona Police Department announced that all eight of the city’s Flock surveillance cameras were stolen after their mounting poles were cut at the base and the poles left in nearby weeds. The disappearance was first noticed on Saturday evening when an officer saw no recent recordings, and the police believe the theft happened between July 29 and August 1. Each camera and pole is valued at roughly $3,000, and the devices have not yet been recovered.

Sgt. Nicholas Quimby suggested that anti-surveillance sentiment or financial gain might be driving forces, though no leads have emerged. This theft adds to a series of recent attacks on Flock cameras across the United States, including incidents in Ohio, Texas, North Carolina and elsewhere. Critics of the ALPR technology argue it infringes privacy rights, while law-enforcement officials warn that losing the cameras could hinder investigations.