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Tesla's 'Security Protocols' Stopped DHS From Installing a Tracking Device
404 Media • • science
Key Points:
- Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents were unable to place a tracking device on a suspected drug trafficker Sam Stair's Tesla due to the car's active security protocols, as revealed in a court warrant application.
- The warrant, filed on Halloween 2025, aimed to track Stair's movements to uncover locations tied to a drug trafficking organization, but the attempt was thwarted possibly by Tesla's "Sentry Mode," which uses external cameras and alarms to deter tampering.
- Tesla's Sentry Mode records and alerts the owner via an app when someone approaches the vehicle, potentially preventing covert tracking device installation by law enforcement.
- Despite this obstacle, a task force eventually arrested Stair and 17 others on drug trafficking charges in May, with Stair pleading not guilty and released on bond pending trial.
