If you spend any time on social media, you’ve likely seen plenty of videos of suspected shoplifters — in the Seattle area and beyond — trying to make a getaway with armloads of merchandise. Often, these suspects fight off store employees or shoppers and evade capture.
But it’s rare to see a drone get in on the action.
A shoplifting call this week at a Target store in Redmond, Wash., prompted such a response as part of that city’s Drone as First Responder (DFR) program. And because the Redmond Police Department apparently knows such content makes for good social video, they shared the footage online (below).
Redmond PD said the suspect was “reported removing security tags and concealing merchandise in a stolen backpack.” As soon as a 911 call came in, a drone was launched, arriving on scene before officers on the ground.
In the video posted to X, the male suspect dashes out of the Target and sprints across nearby parking lots. High above, the drone tracks his every move as a remote operator relays coordinates to responding officers. The aerial footage even captures the live audio dialogue between responders.
The suspect is tracked to a nearby hotel and then a park-and-ride lot where he boards a bus. The video switches to ground-level body-cam footage as officers board the bus and safely apprehend the suspect.
Redmond PD said in its post that the alleged shoplifter stole approximately $330 in merchandise.
This isn’t the department’s first viral high-tech chase….
