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Police Arrest Eagan Burglar Caught On Home Security Camera

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- An Eagan man decided to take matters into his own hands after his home was broken into multiple times.

Dr. Ashwin George installed three hidden cameras around his house.

George, an addiction specialist, said he found the cameras on Amazon.com and paid less than $100 for each.

On Feb. 23, George was able to watch a burglary taking place inside his own home on his smartphone at work.

George called Eagan police and officers were able to catch 21-year-old Broderick Droel of St. Paul at the home.

"That's the first mistake we all make is like, 'It's not going to happen to me,'" George said.

On Wednesday, as crews worked to install a new top-of-the line security system in his Eagan home, George described two months of terror that he and his wife experienced while living in fear of the burglar.

"It was a sense of violation," George said. "My wife was not able to sleep for so many days."

George does not know Droel, but said he is an acquaintance of his step-daughters.

"We lost trust in all our friends, our neighbors, our employees," George said. "It was very difficult to be not trusting anyone."

George hopes he can finally feel safe in his own home again, after months of trying to figure out who could be targeting his house.

"I hope [Droel] gets the right care that he needs," George said.

Droel was out on bail on Wednesday and is expected back in court on March 15.

The Eagan Police Department is investigating whether the past break-ins the family reported can also be linked to Droel.

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