Home security camera leads to arrest of Springfield man in Bellbrook

BELLBROOK — A man was going door-to-door on Tuesday hoping to trim people’s trees.

The problem is, police said the man was breaking two laws.

Bellbrook police were called to Upper Hillside Drive by a homeowner whose doorbell camera recorded a man knocking on his door. After watching the video on his phone, the resident said he got a funny feeling and called police, Lt. Steve Carmin said.

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Police came out and found the man and a few other guys trying to drum up work for their tree trimming business.

But Carmin  said they were doing a couple things wrong: “They didn’t have a solicitor’s permit ... They also were toting a stolen trailer.”

Police arrested 25-year-old Preston H. Lookabaugh of Springfield on suspicion of receiving stolen property, which is a misdemeanor charge. He is scheduled to be arraigned Friday in Xenia Municipal Court.

What Carmin said stands out in the this case is that it’s the latest crime solved thanks to home surveillance cameras.

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“They’re becoming much more commonplace. The technology keeps improving. The cost keeps coming down. It’s much less now of a specialized piece of security equipment,” he said.

This case also has another lesson that isn’t based in the latest tech. It’s a reminder for residents to call the local police when they see something that doesn’t seem right, as did the Bellbrook homeowner.

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