Burglary suspect with manners caught on camera
LUTZ (FOX 13) - We see this all the time: surveillance video of a burglar rummaging through someone's house, looking for stuff to steal.
But the interesting thing about video from a home in Lutz is what happens when you turn up the speakers.
The video has audio, and it turns out this burglar has manners, at least when it comes to the person talking to the suspect on a speaker phone.
It appears the suspect had an accomplice – possibly his getaway driver - on speaker phone the entire time.
The best part: the homeowner, who was away from home, was watching this all unfold on his smartphone, and was able to scare away the thief.
The homeowner has a security system called canary. It works through a mobile app, so the homeowner can monitor their house while away. It even allows the user to activate an alarm if they see someone in the house who shouldn’t be; which is exactly what the owner of this home saw last Friday.
Some of the back-and-forth between the burglar and someone, possibly named Chris, is calm and conversational. The accomplice, at times, gives suggestions on where to look and what to do.
The accomplice’s voice is heard first, on speaker phone, giving the young suspect some instructions.
Investigators think the burglar is between 15- and 18-years-old.
The guy on the other end of the phone sounds older, and may be a relative, because at several points in the video you hear the burglar say "yes sir" in response to questions.
“Go through all the [unintelligible] closets and then go through all the dresser drawers,” the man on the phone instructs.
“Yes sir,” the suspect responds.
Later, the suspect tells the person on the phone that he might need help bringing things out of the house.
“No, I said come and get some of it, put some of it in the car,” the suspect said.
“Oh, you ready?” The getaway driver said.
“Nah, not yet. It just gonna be too much stuff to bring out at one time, feel me?” the suspect responds.
Shortly after they begin talking about the exit plan, the homeowner remotely sounds the alarm.
Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies are looking for the suspect and his accomplice. The suspect was described a s a black male between 15- and 18-years-old, 150 to 160 pounds and last seen wearing blue jeans and an orange shirt under a black or grey hooded sweatshirt.
Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to call the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office at (813) 247-8200 or, to be eligible for a cash reward or remain anonymous is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS (8477) or online at www.crimestopperstb.com.