Customs officials seize signal jammers

Customs officials have seized 20 signal jammers used by criminals to disrupt monitored security alarms in the first four months of this year.

The equipment was among a number of criminal items seized so far in 2012, including almost 200 firearms and 37 offensive weapons, ranging from swords to batons.

Signal jammers have increasingly been used by criminals in the past two years to disrupt alarm signals at businesses and houses during robberies and burglaries.

Once the landline connection between the alarm system and the security firms’ monitoring stations is cut, a signal should be emitted from a transmitter over mobile phone networks, but a jammer can block this signal.

Security companies have been working at devising new ways of stopping the effectiveness of the jammers.

Mike Connolly of Cork-based security firm ADA Security said the use of signal jammers had been on the rise for the past two years.

“The first time I heard about them was an organised crime gang from Eastern Europe was using it in the Munster area,” said Mr Connolly.

Signal jammers can be bought on eBay for as little as €15, whereas the new product aimed at combating them and sold by ADA costs almost €1,300, which includes a year of monitoring.

The new system works in reverse, emitting a mobile signal every five minutes, so the monitoring company are alerted when the signal stops if a jammer has been used.

Mr Connolly said that between five and 10 of the new systems were being sold every month to businesses conscious of the need to improve their security.

Figures from Revenue and Customs showed that, between January and the end of April, 37 offensive weapons, including swords, knives, knuckledusters, and batons were seized, while 195 firearms, including pistols, stun guns, air rifles, components, ammunition, and lasers, were also intercepted.