Police in the Australian state of Queensland are to go on the hunt for unsecured wireless networks.

Claiming that "the crooks are out there driving around trying to identify these [open] networks", Queensland Police Detective Superintendent Brian Hay told local site ITnews that the Boys in Blue will now do the same.

Folk found to be in possession of an un-WEPed WLAN will be warned of the dangers they face, as will wireless router owners who enabled security but retained the default password.

"Look, lads, there's another 'Belkin54g'..."

Some might argue that Queensland's cops have better things to do than war-drive around the state's 'burbs. But Hay compares the scheme to any other crime prevention activity, from warning home owners to secure their property and telling car owners not to leave their vehicles unlocked when unattended. ®

Related stories

• Open-source firmware vuln exposes wireless routers (21 July 2009)
• Half of computer users are Wi-Fi thieves (15 November 2007)
• A wardriving we will go! (23 August 2007)
• Michigan Wi-Fi hacker jailed for nine years (16 December 2004)
• Michigan Wi-Fi hackers ‘try to steal credit card details’ (22 November 2003)