2 juveniles arrested as more police departments use drones to fight crime

By Mike Hellgren

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    HARFORD COUNTY, Maryland (WJZ) — Law enforcement agencies across Maryland are increasingly turning to drones to catch criminals.

It happened this week in Harford County where police were able to arrest two juveniles from Baltimore City for breaking into more than 20 vehicles.

The Harford County Sheriff said drones are cheaper than helicopters, require fewer staff to operate and can be deployed more quickly.

Teens Arrested Drone images showed two suspects hiding from Harford County Sheriff’s deputies in the woods near Joppa.

At least they thought they were hiding.

The police drone was able to capture their body heat to track them down.

Deputies later charged the 15- and 16-year-olds for breaking into at least 21 cars in a crime spree in Abingdon and Joppa.

Deputies found a loaded gun in their truck, along with stolen items, including credit cards.

Sheriff Jeff Gahler told WJZ the technology has become indispensable.

“The drone was actually in the car with [our deputy],” Sheriff Gahler said. “He was able to immediately deploy the drone, and with the heat vision that’s available on there, they were able to pinpoint the suspects – two juveniles from Baltimore City. Had those individuals escaped, they would still be breaking into cars armed, so public safety is enhanced through these kinds of technologies, and there’s going to be a day where it’s probably going to be standard to have one in every car.”

The Drone Pursuit The sheriff’s office said on November 25, around 4:21 a.m., deputies responded to Deep Well Court in Abingdon for reported vehicle thefts. Deputies learned 21 vehicles had been rummaged through.

Shortly after 4:47 a.m., deputies were dispatched to Doncaster Road in Joppa for more theft reports. Witnesses told deputies they saw two suspects dressed in black getting into a black pickup truck.

Deputies spotted the black pickup on Falconer Road and initiated a pursuit. The suspects took the vehicle off-road Boarksdale Road, abandoning it before fleeing on foot, deputies said. Inside the truck, deputies found a Glock 9mm handgun and numerous stolen items, including stolen credit cards.

The Harford County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) Drone Unit deployed a drone to search the area, eventually pinpointing the suspects as they hid in a densely wooded area.

Solving High-Profile Cases Harford County also used drones to capture suspects in two home invasions last April.

“How many times has a cop chased somebody in the woods or whatever and been shot, or tried to defend himself and there’s issues,” Bel Air resident Christopher Monti previously told WJZ “It’s scary, but with a drone, these guys causing trouble are going to have to come up with something else.

The drones also assisted in the capture of David Linthicum in 2023 after he shot two Baltimore County Police officers and fled to Fallston.

Deputies also deployed the drones after a driver slammed into a home in Bel Air and fled the scene in early November.

Other Counties Using Drones Harford County is not alone in their use of drones.

In Howard County, a drone helped find a juvenile wanted for stealing a car after he crashed and fled.

In Montgomery County, police used a drone to capture a stabbing suspect in Silver Spring.

“When I came into office in 2014, this office actually had its own helicopter and looking at that program, the expense, the delay in getting personnel – personnel being the biggest expense, getting personnel to the hangar and getting the helicopter in the air – responses were extended,” Sheriff Gahler said. “It’s so much more cost effective and just effective overall for law enforcement uses. It truly provides for greater public safety and officer safety for out deputies and police officers out there.”

ACLU Raises Concerns The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has raised concerns about privacy, particularly police using drones to monitor protests.

“It’s important that we don’t sleepwalk into a world of widespread aerial surveillance, that communities think very carefully about whether they want drone surveillance, and, if they decide to permit some operations, put in place guardrails that will prevent these operations from expanding,”ACLU Senior Policy Analyst Jay Stanley wrote.

The ACLU estimared that about 80% of law enforcement agencies nationwide use drones, a number that is only expected to grow.

Right now, Harford County has 11 drones in its fleet.

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