Hollister Police used a drone to locate and arrest a man in the early morning hours Jan. 31 for prowling in a residential neighborhood, authorities said.
About 4:29am, officers responded to a call reporting a suspicious person in the area of the 100 block of Wilma Drive, Hollister Police said in a press release. The caller told authorities they heard someone in their backyard tapping on a window.
Police arrived and began searching the home’s backyard. While searching the property, officers saw a man jump over the fence into an adjoining neighbor’s yard and flee the area, police said.
Officers set up a perimeter and deployed the police department’s drone to conduct a real time aerial search for the suspects, police said. Officers found the suspect by using the drone’s spotlight and infrared thermal capabilities to detect body heat.
Police said officers were able to close in on the suspect with live information from the drone. The suspect, later identified as Jesus Perez, 27, of Hollister, was located and detained in the area of Wilma Drive and Rajkovich Way, police said. Perez was found in possession of narcotics and paraphernalia, and he had two warrants for his arrest.
He was booked at San Benito County Jail on suspicion of possession of narcotics, outstanding warrants and resisting arrest, authorities said.
“The Hollister Police Department’s licensed drone pilots once again demonstrated the value of the department’s drone program to the community. The drone enabled officers to safely conduct a timely search while reducing personnel risk,” says the press release.
