Alert neighbor captures crime in progress on camera

A pair of crooks are caught on camera.

But it wasn't a security system at work, it was an alert neighbor who captured the images.

They took photos of two men stealing electronics from a South Tulsa apartment near 81st and South Sheridan.

You can see one of them with a flat screen television.

"The neighbor did everything right," Tulsa Police Detective Gene Watkins said.  He went on to say an alert resident can make all the difference in a case.

"We've had a lot of good neighbors coming through and identifying stuff we've made a lot of arrests in the last couple of months over just alert neighbors."

"We say our mission is to observe, record, and report," Bill Hermann said.

He lives up the road from where the burglarized apartment.

Several homes along Hermann's street have security alarms.

He's also involved with his neighborhood patrol, and has been for a few years now.

The group is trained by Tulsa Police Officers and the Crime Commission.

"We don't intervene in crimes, that's not our role. We're really an extension to help the police," Hermann said.

Officers say they can't be everywhere all the time, but warn citizens to not get directly involved if they see a crime in progress.
    
It can be dangerous.

Detective Watkins said the best thing to do is to be a good witness.

"Try to get any tag numbers, the pictures were outstanding," he said about the 81st and Sheridan case.

"Now again we're just asking for more help so we can get this person identified."