Someone has now sawed down three of Gahanna's Flock license-plate-reader cameras in roughly six weeks, with the latest pole severed near North Stygler Road and Ridenour Road on Aug. 14.

Gahanna Division of Police officers responded around 2:53 p.m. after the damaged camera was reported, according to ABC6/WSYX. The pole appeared to have been cut with a tool, leaving about two feet still standing in the ground.

Parks and Recreation employees mowing nearby discovered the downed pole and camera before police arrived. They collected the equipment, hauled it to the parks garage and called it in.

Repair costs are expected to exceed $1,000, police said. That dollar threshold makes the destruction a fifth-degree felony under Ohio's vandalism statute, which covers property used in a business, trade or occupation. If cumulative damage across the three incidents reaches $7,500, the charge could escalate to a fourth-degree felony.

No suspect information had been released as of Monday, Aug. 17. Police have not disclosed the locations or exact dates of the first two incidents, saying only that three cameras have been damaged within four to six weeks.

The vandalism comes at a charged moment for the camera network. Gahanna Police have said the Flock system helped solve more than 80 crimes or generate leads since July 2025, as we reported Aug. 5. At the same time, both Ohio attorney general candidates proposed new Flock regulations on Aug. 12, including warrant requirements and a potential ban on federal access to local data, as we reported Aug. 13.

A packed, nearly six-hour Columbus City Council hearing on Aug. 10 produced sharp divisions over the cameras but no vote, and Columbus shifted to one-to-one data sharing, as we reported Aug. 11. Gahanna Police have said they do not directly share Flock information with other agencies but that law enforcement partners on the network can access the database.

The investigation is active. Residents with information can contact the Gahanna Division of Police.