11 cameras discovered on streets – and no one knows who they belong to

A mysterious surveillance case in Florida: St. Lucie County authorities set out to remove 52 license plate recognition cameras from Flock, and discovered 14 additional cameras installed without permits. The local sheriff's office confirmed that three belong to it, but 11 cameras remain with no identified owner. Residents are concerned about their privacy, and the county ordered the cameras to be covered with black bags until removal.

A mysterious surveillance case is stirring up residents of St. Lucie County, Florida. Local authorities decided to completely remove the automatic license plate recognition camera system from Flock, amid serious concerns about privacy violations and misuse by police. However, when county crews went to dismantle the 52 known cameras, they were shocked to find 14 additional surveillance cameras installed without permits, with no one in local government aware of their existence. The county sheriff's office confirmed that three of the cameras belong to it, but did not provide an explanation for why they were installed without permits. Two other law enforcement agencies clarified that none of the remaining cameras belong to them, leaving 11 active cameras that no one claims ownership of. County spokesperson Eric Gill said inspectors attached removal notices to the unidentified cameras, giving their operators 30 days to remove them. Until they are removed, it was decided to cover them with black plastic bags to prevent continued surveillance. The incident is not isolated but part of a trend that led Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to order the cancellation of permits for these systems on the state's highways. A Washington Post investigation revealed that at least 50 law enforcement officers in the US have been suspected or charged with using the system for personal purposes, including a former police officer who was imprisoned after tracking his ex-partner 382 times. Flock, which operates over 120,000 cameras across the US, said it is working with authorities to clarify the discrepancies.