In Sandy Springs, Georgia, a few neighborhoods had been experiencing package theft. While one homeowner's doorbell camera caught a suspect grabbing a package off their porch and running away, a neighborhood's Flock Safety license plate reading camera caught a crucial piece of evidence that would allow the Sandy Springs Police to track down the perpetrator—his getaway vehicle and the license plate.
Over 70% of crime occurs with the use of a vehicle. In order to identify and locate suspects, police need the license plate number and vehicle details—exactly what Flock Safety cameras capture.
That's how the Glen Meadows neighborhood was able to give police their first piece of actionable footage.
Watch the video from Fox 5 Atlanta.
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. (FOX 5 Atlanta) - It's a case with hundreds of victims. Sandy Springs Police have been able to link them all to one man.
Video from a doorbell camera captured a man snatching a small box off a porch. Sandy Springs Police said the same crook has swiped plenty of mail from homes in Brookhaven, Dunwoody, Cobb and Fulton Counties, and possibly other states.
"What we thought was a couple of thefts from a porch ended up blowing up into a large identity theft case," said Sandy Springs Police Sgt. Sam Worsham.
Investigators said thanks to video from a doorbell camera and a neighborhood Flock Safety camera, they were able to track down and arrested 34-year-old Matthew Robert Brown.
A search of Brown's apartment turned up boxes of mail addressed to other people.
"Hundreds and hundreds of pieces of mail stolen with other people's names and identities," said Sgt. Worsham.
"This could be a federal case," said Sgt. Worsham.
Police said Brown also had warrants out for his arrest in Atlanta and Fulton County on charges of identity theft, fraud and burglary.