LAPD issues warning about residential burglars using WiFi jammers to disable alarms, cameras

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- After homes in the LAPD's Wilshire Division were recently targeted by burglars using WiFi jammers, police on Monday issued a community alert urging the public to be vigilant.

Residences in the area have been burglarized by a group of three or four suspects who use the WiFi jammers to interrupt the internet capabilities for burglar alarms and cameras as they enter the victims' homes, the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement.

The intruders "are known to enter via 2nd-story balconies and seek high-end jewelry, purses, U.S. currency and other fine valuables," the statement said. "They tend to ransack and target primary bedrooms."

On many occasions, a driver in a getaway vehicle has acted as a lookout, according to the LAPD.

Among other recommendations, the agency urged residents to:

Talk to your WiFi provider about hard-wiring your burglar alarm system.

Provide extra security such as a pole to sliding glass doors to eliminate an easy opening.