Karyn Wall has lived in Lemon Grove for the past 20 years and not once, at least as far as she knows, has her home been targeted by criminals. She learned recently, however, how vulnerable her home might be to someone who wants to break in.
“My husband and I feel very safe, but I know there are probably some things that we could do to the property, the inside, the lighting, and things like that,” Wall said.
Shanah Clevenger, who is a crime-prevention specialist with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and is in charge of a free Lemon Grove home-security consultation program. She looks at everything and anything that’ll beef up home security, regardless of budget.
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“Some of my suggestions are quick and easy and don’t cost a lot," Clevenger said. "I just suggest: Do as much as you can, or do it progressively at a time until you feel your home is safe.”
That security includes protection against a relatively unknown device called a Wi-Fi jammer. NBC 7 Responds talked to cybersecurity expert Jim Stickley about the devices, and he said that, even though they are illegal in the United States, there are several websites you can purchase one from and have it shipped to your home.
“I mean, you shouldn't be freaked out," Stickley said. "It's a real thing, but the amount of criminals actually using it is relatively low."
How do Wi-Fi jammers work?
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Stickley said that jammers disable Wi-Fi-enabled devices by overloading their Wi-Fi frequency or any RF frequency, and that the bigger jammers have some serious range.
It “could take out this whole house and even a couple of houses around me so that all Wi-Fi would die,” Stickley said.
Once the Wi-Fi is down, the criminals could break in without being picked up by a camera.
How can you disable a WiFi jammer?
Wired cameras, of course, are not affected by jammers. Remember: Memory chips record video regardless of whether there is Wi-Fi. Also, some security systems offer systems that send owners notifications when Wi-Fi goes down.
“If you get a notice that your Wi-Fi is not communicating with your camera, you can go, ‘OK, maybe something is going on,’ and you can maybe call a neighbor and say, ‘Hey, can you go and check this out for me?' Stickley said.
Wall said she can’t imagine coming home one day to find her home ransacked by a stranger.
“It would be awful," Wall said. "It would be terrifying because then you’d wonder if someone is still in the house, don’t want to go in. It would be a very scary situation."
Wall hopes to continue her 20-year streak of living safely in Lemon Grove.
The sheriff’s department said that, as important as technology is to keep your family and your home safe, it is just as important for you and your neighbors to look out for one another. They can also help start a neighborhood watch program.
Click here to learn more about some of the home safety programs the Sheriff’s Lemon Grove substation offers.
