QLED-loving thieves, beware: Samsung revealed on Tuesday that its TVs may be remotely disabled if the corporate finds out they’ve been stolen, as long as the units in query are linked to the web.

Known as “Samsung TV Block,” the characteristic was first introduced in a press launch earlier this month after the corporate deployed it following a string of warehouse lootings triggered by unrest in South Africa. In the release, Samsung mentioned that the know-how comes “already pre-loaded on all Samsung TV products,” and mentioned that it “ensures that the television sets can only be used by the rightful owners with a valid proof of purchase.”

TV Block kicks in after the person of the stolen tv connects it to the web, which is important with the intention to function the smart TVs. Once linked, the serial variety of the tv pings the Samsung server, triggering a blocking mechanism that successfully disables all the TV’s capabilities.

While the discharge solely mentions the blocking perform relative to the TVs that had been looted from the corporate’s warehouse, the safety might additionally ostensibly be utilized to particular person clients who’ve had their TVs stolen and report the machine’s serial quantity to Samsung. However, there’s no phrase to this point on whether or not or not Samsung presently has plans to grant distant blocking capabilities to people who’ve had their TVs stolen and need to disable them themselves. (Odds are good that the very specter of the concept of droves of customers calling in to report that they’ve locked themselves out of their TVs is sufficient to give the parents over at Samsung hives.)

Should a person’s TV be blocked by mistake, the corporate mentioned, performance may be reinstated as quickly as a person is ready to produce legitimate proof of buy and share their TV’s license with a “legitimate retailer.” (If you’re experiencing this, the corporate notes on its web site you can ship these proof of buy paperwork to zaservicemanager@samsung.com for help).