The Indicator from Planet Money · Tuesday, September 15, 2026
A study of several hundred jurisdictions found that areas implementing Flock cameras saw an 11% decrease in motor vehicle thefts and a 16% increase in locating suspects for these thefts. Researcher Scott Morgas cautioned that the cameras are not a 'magic bullet' and that crime is a complex phenomenon with many contributing factors.
“He and his co-author found that motor vehicle theft fell about 11% in areas that use Flock cameras, and locating suspects for vehicle thefts rose about 16%.”
“In other words, Flock cameras are a patchwork. They aren't covering every inch of road space. They aren't catching every car thief. They are tools, not magic bullets.”