A pair of alleged shoplifters in Fresno found out that police may now be watching from above. Authorities said two suspects accused of stealing merchandise from two Dick’s Sporting Goods stores were arrested after a Fresno police drone followed their getaway vehicle across the city.
The incident began last Wednesday at the Dick’s Sporting Goods store near Shaw and Valentine avenues in northwest Fresno. According to police, store employees saw a man allegedly hiding merchandise inside his clothing while a woman remained with him.
The two suspects then left the store and got into a gray Honda Pilot, police said. By that time, officers had already deployed a drone in the area.
The drone began tracking the SUV from above and provided officers with live information as they moved in on the ground. Police said the aerial view helped officers track the vehicle until they could stop it near Brawley and Weber avenues.
Officers arrested a 39-year-old man and a 43-year-old woman after the stop. Their names were not immediately released in the original report.
Investigators later connected the same pair to another alleged theft earlier that day at a Dick’s Sporting Goods location in northeast Fresno. Police said both suspects are now facing grand theft charges.
The arrest comes as Fresno police expand their use of drones under Police Chief Mindy Casto’s newly announced “Drone as First Responder” program. The department has used drones in some form since 2019, but the new program is intended to broaden how and when they are deployed.
Police officials said the drones are American-made and can often reach emergency scenes faster than patrol vehicles. They also said the aircraft can send live aerial video to officers responding on the ground, giving them a better understanding of what is happening before they arrive.
Lt. Joshua Richards told ABC30 the drones could also be useful beyond theft cases and other police calls. He said they may help during medical emergencies, including “if we have someone who needs narcan.”
The program is expected to give officers another tool in responding to crimes, emergencies, and other fast-moving situations across Fresno. In this case, police said the drone helped track the suspects’ vehicle and led officers to make arrests without losing sight of the SUV.
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