Flock camera vandalism reports

Camera damage has become common enough to affect procurement decisions — at least one county in the reporting collected here removed cameras citing repair costs. This page tracks 10 reported cases of ALPR cameras being damaged or destroyed.

This is a record of what has been reported and what happened to the people involved. It is not encouragement or instruction: damaging a camera is a property crime, frequently charged as a felony given equipment costs. See the penalties explainer for what that exposure actually looks like.

10

Stories tracked

August 21, 2026

Most recent story

July 30, 2026

Earliest tracked

Flock camera vandalism reports: the coverage

Every item links to the outlet that reported it. FlockScanner does not write, verify or endorse these stories — see the content policy for how the feed works.

  1. Flock camera vandals say privacy reforms aren’t enough: ‘The changes are bull----’

    NBC News · August 21, 2026

    Flock camera vandals say privacy reforms aren’t enough: ‘The changes are bull----’ — reported by NBC News.

    Read the summary → Original reporting at NBC News ↗

  2. Georgia sheriff offers $1,000 reward after Flock Safety camera vandalized amid growing surveillance debate

    CBS News · August 20, 2026

    Georgia sheriff offers $1,000 reward after Flock Safety camera vandalized amid growing surveillance debate — reported by CBS News.

    Read the summary → Original reporting at CBS News ↗

  3. Summit County investigates license plate camera vandalism

    KPCW · August 17, 2026

    Summit County investigates license plate camera vandalism — reported by KPCW.

    Read the summary → Original reporting at KPCW ↗

  4. Police investigate vandalism of license plate reader on Cedar Rapids' northwest side

    KGAN · August 13, 2026

    Police investigate vandalism of license plate reader on Cedar Rapids' northwest side — reported by KGAN.

    Read the summary → Original reporting at KGAN ↗

  5. Guadalupe County terminates Flock Safety contract amid rising vandalism costs

    WOAI · August 8, 2026

    Guadalupe County terminates Flock Safety contract amid rising vandalism costs — reported by WOAI.

    Read the summary → Original reporting at WOAI ↗

  6. Burnet County removes license plate reader cameras after vandalism incidents

    cbsaustin.com · August 6, 2026

    Burnet County removes license plate reader cameras after vandalism incidents — reported by cbsaustin.com.

    Read the summary → Original reporting at cbsaustin.com ↗

  7. Burnet County removes Flock Safety cameras after damage incidents

    KVUE · August 4, 2026

    Burnet County removes Flock Safety cameras after damage incidents — reported by KVUE.

    Read the summary → Original reporting at KVUE ↗

  8. Tennessee Congressional Candidate Arrested for Shooting Flock Safety Cameras

    yahoo.com · August 2, 2026

    Tennessee Congressional Candidate Arrested for Shooting Flock Safety Cameras — reported by yahoo.com.

    Read the summary → Original reporting at yahoo.com ↗

  9. Independent congressional candidate charged with shooting ALPR systems in Tennessee

    WBIR · August 1, 2026

    Independent congressional candidate charged with shooting ALPR systems in Tennessee — reported by WBIR.

    Read the summary → Original reporting at WBIR ↗

  10. Pismo Beach man arrested for damaging Flock Safety cameras in Monterey County, deputies say

    ABC30 News · July 30, 2026

    Pismo Beach man arrested for damaging Flock Safety cameras in Monterey County, deputies say — reported by ABC30 News.

    Read the summary → Original reporting at ABC30 News ↗

Common questions

Are Flock cameras being vandalised?

Yes, and often enough to influence agency decisions. FlockScanner tracks 10 reported cases of ALPR cameras being cut down, shot, or otherwise damaged, in locations including Houston (TX), Hewitt (TX), Blount County (TN), Cedar Rapids (IA) and Monterey County (CA). Guadalupe and Burnet counties in Texas were reported to have removed cameras partly because of repair costs.

What happens if you damage a Flock camera?

It is prosecuted as property damage, and because ALPR units are expensive the loss amount often pushes the charge into felony territory. Reported cases have resulted in arrests and criminal charges, including for cutting cameras down and for shooting them. Cameras also frequently record the person damaging them. See FlockScanner's page on penalties for damaging a Flock camera for the general legal pattern — it is not legal advice.

Other news topics

Where the cameras are

FlockScanner also maps documented ALPR camera locations across the US — see the live map, camera locations by state, or cameras near you.

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