Suspect Caught On Camera Burglarizing S. Mpls. Home
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A burglar breaks into a south Minneapolis home -- and the whole thing is caught on camera.
Homeowner Joe Craddock recorded it using a smartphone app.
"I'm thinking, 'OK, Someone's in my house. Who is this?'" Craddock said.
Both Craddock and his girlfriend were out of the home when the burglary happened just after noon Tuesday. He had returned from a lunch break at work and noticed the camera inside his home that syncs to his smartphone was down.
He checked video footage recorded by the Dropcam app and couldn't believe what he saw.
"It doesn't feel good," Craddock said. "It's a little bit scary. You don't really feel secure in your own home."
The thief took a laptop, a Kindle and a Sonic gift card. The couple's two dogs were home at the time of the robbery.
"A lot of people are very interested [in app security systems] because it's so affordable and they're getting advertised so much online," Grand Projection's Johnny Davy said.
He says security systems that link to smartphone apps are very popular with homeowners not only for cost, but also police response time.
"With a conventional alarm system it's probably ... anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes before the police are going to come because it's not a priority call," Davy said.
In Craddock's security video, the thief realizes he's being recorded before he steals the camera.
Craddock has since bought three more Dropcam cameras. He paid around $200 for the camera system with the app.
"Literally anyone with an internet connection can set this up and have it running in just a couple minutes, it was super simple," Craddock said. "I'd absolutely recommend it."
By the time Craddock checked his phone and called police, the burglar had already gotten away.
Anyone with information about the suspect should call Minneapolis Police.
