GoKawiilA grand jury in Ohio has declined to indict a man charged with felony vandalism for allegedly destroying a Flock automatic license plate reader camera.
Police in Union Township, a Cincinnati suburb, accused Cody Morelock of disassembling the camera, its support pole and solar panel on June 13.
Investigators, according to WKRC-TV in Cincinnati, identified Morelock after obtaining surveillance footage from other cameras near the scene as well as information linked to a credit card and a customer rewards account.
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Police estimated the damage at more than $1,000. Morelock posted a $10,000 bond and was released from custody shortly after his arrest.
A Clermont County grand jury, however, opted not to indict Morelock, and the charges were dismissed.
Flock resistance growing
While details on the grand jury’s decision are limited, it comes amid a growing backlash against Flock and its cameras.
The company’s cameras record the license plate numbers and characteristics of vehicles that pass by. The data is then hosted in a central database that can be accessed not only by local police but often by law enforcement agencies in other cities and states.
The incident in Union Township is part of an ongoing trend that has seen dozens of Flock cameras vandalized across the country. Earlier this month, police in Winona, Minnesota, reported that someone had cut down and stolen each of the city’s eight license plate reader cameras.
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