A neighborhood in Cobb County has helped police identify a suspected burglar with the use of a camera system that captures car tags. On April 21, 2019 (Easter Morning) at approximately 6:15 a.m., a woman was awakened by an unknown man in her bedroom with a light in his hands. The man fled the home and drove away in what she described as a Chevy SUV. Cobb County Police Officer B.L. Schaarschmidt responded to the call and located a vehicle matching the description headed in the opposite direction. He stopped the vehicle and subsequently arrested the driver for several charges (one of which was the burglary at the home).

The neighborhood HOA had previously invested in a Flock Safety Neighborhood Crime Camera which recognizes and catalogs vehicles, vehicle tag numbers, people, and animals entering and exiting the neighborhood. Investigators were able to search the Flock Safety database (access was provided voluntarily by the HOA) for the tag number of the vehicle that Officer Schaarschmidt had stopped. The suspect vehicle and tag number had been captured entering and leaving the subdivision at the exact times of the incident (case # 19-036029). Though not the only evidence in this incident, the evidence provided by the Flock Safety Crime Camera is an integral piece of the puzzle that specifically linked the suspect vehicle directly to this crime. 

This case serves as a great example of community, business, and police working together to make a safer community for those we serve.

Cobb County Police encourages our community and business partners to consider crime prevention strategies to include use of License Plate Recognition (as was noted in this case), registration of camera systems, and strategic placement of security cameras. Please visit CobbPolice.com, click on “Community”, scroll to the bottom of the page, and click on “Security Cameras” for tips and suggestions. Alternatively, these tips can be located at https://www.cobbcounty.org/public-safety/police/permits/security-camera-registry.