Florida Police Use 3D-Printed Decoy Camera to Catch Vandal Facing Felony Charges

Industry Pulse News Desk · 2026-08-27

A suspect faces three felony charges after destroying a 3D-printed decoy camera built by Florida police to catch surveillance vandals.

Florida law enforcement authorities deployed a 3D-printed replica of an automated license plate recognition camera to catch individuals tampering with police surveillance infrastructure, resulting in three felony charges against a suspect accused of destroying the fake device.

The decoy operation was established following a pattern of vandalism targeting surveillance cameras installed along public thoroughfares. Investigators constructed the imitation camera housing using additive manufacturing technology to closely mimic the appearance of proprietary monitoring equipment used in local law enforcement operations.

The incident highlights growing operational difficulties for automated surveillance providers, including Flock Safety, whose reader networks are increasingly subject to deliberate physical damage. Municipal governments across the country have expanded contracts with private technology vendors to build out regional vehicle-tracking networks for crime prevention.

In addition to physical attacks on infrastructure, automated reader networks face expanding scrutiny over data management protocols and allegations of unauthorized officer access. Several municipalities have begun re-evaluating their deployment guidelines to address public privacy concerns and ensure compliance with law enforcement policies.

Authorities confirmed the arrested suspect in the Florida decoy case faces multiple counts of felony criminal mischief and grand theft related to the destruction of the decoy unit. Police officials indicated that additional decoy devices may be deployed to deter future property destruction targeting public safety assets.