MANITOWOC (NBC 26) - Most of the time they're hidden in plain sight; but if you take a look around, security cameras are everywhere.
That's why the Manitowoc Police Department is asking for your help by giving them access to your home surveillance video to fight crime.
“There’s so many private camera systems at houses and they're just amazing video footage. We just don't know where they all are in the city,” said Lt. Mark Schroeder.
The list is completely voluntary, but it’s something Schroeder said can make all the difference in a case.
“I would say our biggest success story…we had a double homicide in town,” he said. “A private video surveillance system was used to identify the suspect vehicle in that case, that turned into locating the suspect and an arrest made.”
Because, as Schroeder adds, video doesn't lie.
“Once you see the video, it’s like you were there. There’s no faking that.”
In the video we looked at, you could only see the back of the suspect walking. Schroeder said, while you can’t see the person’s face, you can still get a good description of their gait, the way the person walks, what time they were there, if they were looking around, and much more.
Shroeder adds, that access would strictly be case by case; and they would only give you a call if they thought your video might help them, in keeping your neighborhood safe.
If you’d like to help the department out, you can message them on Facebook or call the shift commander at 920-686-6551.
