Illegal jammers used in Vermont bank robberies, DHS says

Public Safety

by Guy Page

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) June 18 issued a public warning about a surge in the illegal import and use of Chinese-made signal jammers, linking them to crimes committed by unauthorized migrants, including incidents in Vermont.

The DHS statement provided no specific details on the Vermont incident but provide information on the illegal use of jammers in other states.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported an 830% increase in the seizure of signal jamming devices since 2021. Officials attribute the surge to Chinese technology manufacturers deliberately attempting to bypass customs inspections. Signal jammers can disrupt law enforcement radio communications, GPS, and civilian aviation signals, posing serious risks to emergency response and national security.

“These are tools of terrorism,” a DHS spokesperson said. “Signal jammers have been used by illegal aliens across the country to jam communications during police operations, bank robberies, burglaries, and other dangerous crimes.”

Among the states impacted are Florida, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont, and Virginia. In one February 2025 incident, Texas authorities recovered a signal jammer from an alleged Chilean national during a criminal arrest. In a separate case in December 2024, a suspect used a jammer to block police communications during an active burglary.

Although specific details about incidents in Vermont were not disclosed, DHS confirmed the state is among those affected by the criminal use of jammers by foreign nationals.

Federal law prohibits the import, operation, or sale of signal jamming devices due to their ability to interfere with critical communications infrastructure. Despite the ban, Chinese firms continue to smuggle these devices into the country. Ironically, China also prohibits civilian use of signal jammers under its own domestic law.

DHS officials said President Donald Trump and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem remain committed to cracking down on the use of signal jammers and protecting U.S. law enforcement and emergency systems from foreign threats.

“National security begins at America’s ports,” the spokesperson added. “We will continue to seize these devices before they can be used to endanger lives.”