Police drone in Southern California catches burglary suspect red-handed

A burglary suspect in Santa Monica was taken into custody during the Fourth of July holiday after a police drone returning to the station observed the man breaking into vehicles in the parking lot near the pier, authorities said.

The July 6 incident occurred when the Santa Monica Police Department drone pilot flew the unmanned aircraft back from a radio call and decided to first survey the crowd near the Santa Monica Pier.

“While flying over Lot 1 North (the large property directly north of the pier), the pilot observed a male subject wandering through the property with suspicious behavior,” SMPD said in a social media post.

Footage of the incident shows the suspect, wearing a backpack over a gray hoodie, sneaking up to a dark SUV, pulling a screwdriver out of his pocket and quickly using it to break the lock on the driver’s door.

The man is then seen getting into the vehicle and spending several minutes there, presumably rummaging through the owner’s belongings.

“While in the vehicle, the pilot called officers to come to the parking lot,” SMPD said. “While they were en route, the suspect broke into another vehicle, this time a truck, using the same tactic.”

The drone pilot was able to direct the police to the correct row of parking spaces in the parking lot, where they arrested the man.

“Officers found the suspect in possession of several stolen items and arrested him for auto burglary and various other theft offenses,” police added.

The Santa Monica Police Department’s drone-as-first-responder program launched in November 2022 and was based on a similar program in Chula Vista, south of San Diego, the Santa Monica Daily Press reported.

The program involves a sworn pilot who operates the drone from the roof of the city’s security facility and can be in the air almost immediately after a mission.

“Once on scene, the pilot can provide updates, look for fleeing suspects, provide direction of travel, and guide responding officers,” SMPD says. “All of this greatly increases our chances of successfully and safely ending dangerous incidents.”