Police Search For Thief Who Stole Trail Camera Set Up To Catch Thieves
Police have launched an investigation into a man who was filmed allegedly stealing a surveillance trail camera — that was originally set up to catch thieves.
Wilmington police set up a trail camera in Wildwood Cemetery in Wilmington, Massachusetts after a series of thefts at gravesites.
According to CBS News, there have been flags, flowers, vases, and crosses stolen from loved one’s tombstones over the past year.
But, shortly after the surveillance camera device was set up, it was stolen.
However, while there was no camera for investigators to retrieve after the incident, Wilmington police says it captured video footage of a man who they believe stole the camera itself.
An image of the suspect was captured by the trail camera of a man wearing a blue t-shirt in the middle of the day at Wildwood Cemetery.
Wilmington police took to social media to ask for the public’s help in finding and identifying the man who allegedly stole the trail camera.
“We interrupt your scrolling to enlist your detective skills! Our detectives recently placed a trail camera in Wildwood Cemetery to catch thieves stealing from gravesites,” Wilmington, Massachusetts Police Department posted on Facebook on Friday.
“Lo and behold, we caught a thief in action! But it seems our camera caught his attention as well! We present to you, ‘Mr. Sticky Fingers,’ our very own trail camera bandit!
“This daring gentleman decided it was a brilliant idea to pilfer our camera right under our virtual noses! Can you identify him?”
In a further statement to NBC Boston, Wilmington Police Chief Joseph Desmond noted that the man in the blue t-shirt in the footage “had one of the cords in his hands that had to be cut” from the camera.
Over the weekend, Wilmington police revealed that they have been in contact with a man who allegedly stole the surveillance camera from the Wildwood Cemetery.
Investigators did not release his name or whether he will be charged. According to CBS News, the investigation is still ongoing.
In May, PetaPixel reported on video studio and popular YouTube channel Cinecom that had over $100,000 worth of camera equipment stolen in a burglary. Three men ripped Cinecom’s studio door open and stole their RED Gemini digital cinema camera, a Sony A7R III, a Panasonic LUMIX GH5, and many other items.
