On March 11, 2024, a Mentor resident received a notification of an Amazon delivery on her RING app. Shortly after, she received another notification of a porch pirate taking off with her package.
The resident immediately contacted Mentor Police and forwarded the video to the officer assigned to the case. The officer was also able to obtain surveillance footage from the resident’s apartment complex and identify the make and model, as well as plate number, of the suspect vehicle along with 2 male occupants.
The next morning, the FLOCK camera system turned up multiple hits of the suspect vehicle in Willoughby. A Mentor detective in an unmarked car was able to locate the vehicle parked at Mr. Chicken, located at 35901 Euclid Avenue. After approximately 20 minutes, two men exited the restaurant. One man left, while the man matching the physical appearance of the suspect lingered in a neighboring parking lot. The detective notified Willoughby Police of his intent to interview the suspect. As he was interviewing the suspect, the second male returned to the lot, noticed the detective’s POLICE vest and promptly left the area.
The suspect, a 23-year-old male with no fixed address, admitted to the theft and was arrested. He also had a warrant for his arrest with Euclid for a previous assault charge.
So, what was taken in this clever caper? Gel-pens, a 3-pack of notebooks, and a bible.
The Mentor Police Department invests in training, tools, and technology, to keep our community safe. Since the FLOCK camera system was implemented in April 2021, it has led to over 100 arrests, recovered dozens of stolen vehicles, and helped find four missing/endangered people.
Residents should help protect themselves as well by investing in doorbell cameras and other remote video devices. Consider signing up for Operation SCRAM which provides an opportunity for residents and business owners to help officers solve local crimes. Video evidence, captured by private surveillance systems, can help officers develop leads and quickly conclude investigations as they did in this case.