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Greenfield police sought donations of two microwave ovens Friday for use in storing cell phones pending search warrants during criminal investigations.

(Greg Saulmon / The Republican)

GREENFIELD – Can microwave ovens help fight crime? One city police officer is determined to find out.

The United States Supreme Court's recent decision requiring police to obtain search warrants before checking the contents of cell phones manifested itself here Friday way when the police department put out a request for donations of used microwave ovens.

The department plans to use the ovens as improvised Faraday bags — pouches that block transmission and would prevent suspects from erasing phone data remotely during the wait for a search warrant.

Lt. William Gordon, who stressed the department fully supports the unanimous decision made by the nation’s highest court last month, said the ruling has the potential to strain police department budgets because the commercial Faraday bags cost upwards of $50 each, just to shield a single cell phone. Faraday bags for tablets and larger electronic devices cost even more, Gordon said.

Greenfield police can seize as many as 20 to 40 cell phones in a single year and the purchase of Faraday bags to shield them could run into the range of thousands of dollars, he said.

Faraday bags are essentially "Faraday cages" — metallic structures that prevent the passage of electromagnetic waves. They are named after English scientist Michael Faraday, who invented them in 1836.

Gordon, researching the Internet for more inexpensive versions of Faraday bags, stumbled upon the idea of using microwave ovens — which are essentially Faraday cages.

The concept of the Faraday cage has not been lost on criminals. Shoplifters have been known to create makeshift Faraday cages of their own by lining bags with aluminum foil in an attempt to defeat screening equipment.

Gordon said he has not heard of other departments using microwaves for such a purpose, but he hopes the appliances will do the trick.

He reasons that if microwave ovens prevent microwaves from escaping into our kitchens, they would also be able to prevent radio waves sent on their way by suspects from reaching their cell phones locked up inside the police station.

Hence the call, put out on the department's Facebook page, for the donations of used microwave ovens.

Gordon said Friday morning that a number of residents, eager to enlist their bulky old Amanas and Panasonics in the fight against crime, quickly responded.

Gordon ended the appeal after receiving promise of two microwaves. He said as soon as the first microwave oven arrived at the station he would run tests to see if the ovens really do prevent remote wiping.

"I am going to take my phone and try it," he said.

A short time later, the department posted an update:

A local business donated a commercial-grade oven on Friday, and the department continued its testing.

In tests conducted on two different consumer-grade microwave oven models in a break room and supply closet at The Republican Friday, successful calls were made to an iPhone placed in the ovens.

We'll post an update when we hear more about the results of the Greenfield department's testing.