A California man has been arrested after allegedly damaging all three Flock automated number-plate reader cameras serving the small communities of Lockwood and Bradley, causing thousands of dollars in damage. The case highlights the growing backlash against the surveillance technology, while also demonstrating that vandalising the devices may not prevent identification if other nearby cameras record the incident.

Marcus Bee, 40, of Pismo Beach, was arrested by Monterey County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday and jailed on $30,000 bail. Police said other surveillance cameras and investigative leads led to his arrest, while the sheriff described the systems as valuable for investigating crime, recovering stolen vehicles and locating missing people. The incident follows two Flock cameras being set alight in Georgia last week and earlier alleged attacks in Virginia by a man who argued the technology was unconstitutional.