Home surveillance nabs neighbor in Kettering burglary

After one burglary, a Kettering man installed a home surveillance system in case a thief struck again.

It happened again, but this time, the thief — who turned out to be an 18-year-old neighbor — was caught on camera the morning of May 15 inside the Danz Avenue home.

“The first time we got broken into it was just devastating because you don’t feel safe in your own home,” said the homeowner who only wanted to use his first name, Russ.

He then invested $500 into a home surveillance system, which police say solved the crime.

“The first video we have of him is 8:22 in the morning after we’d left and gone to work,” Russ said.

Video shows the suspect leaving, carrying the family’s 42-inch plasma TV out the back door the morning of May 15.

Police arrested his neighbor, 18-year-old Dustin Shepherd after seeing the video. Charges were filed May 21 after the case was reviewed by the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office. The same charges — felony burglary and theft — also were filed in the same incident against 19-year-old Amanda Newland of Kettering, according to police.

“The police usually already know who it is. They just need proof. And that’s exactly what happened in this case,” Russ said.

Electronics stores say higher quality video plus affordability has created a rise in demand for home surveillance systems. Also, wireless technology makes them easy to install. Russ said nearly all of his neighbors have installed similar equipment.

“You practically can’t turn into the subdivision without someone getting a picture of you,” said, Russ, who added he’s recently added even more cameras to his home.

Shepherd and Newland are both due this morning in Kettering Municipal Court for a preliminary hearing to determine whether their cases can be bound over to Montgomery County Common Pleas Court.