House burglar scared off by occupier using phone app from miles away

A burglar fled from a house empty handed after the occupant was able to warn him off - despite not being at home.
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The would-be thief targeted the empty house in the Knottingley area on Thursday, February 11, and was trying to break into the property via the back door.

However, a notification was sent to the owner's mobile phone telling him that CCTV at the house had picked up movement.

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The owner could then see live footage of the thief attempting the break-in and shouted at him using the microphone, telling him that he was seen and the police were on their way.

Burglary (library pic)Burglary (library pic)
Burglary (library pic)

The burglar then make a quick escape.

Mark Isherwood, crime prevention officer for the Wakefield district, said: "Many modern CCTV and video doorbell systems send a notification to the user's smartphone/tablet whenever a motion is detected.

"This then allows the user to view the footage remotely via their smartphone or tablet meaning that no matter where they are in the world, the user can keep an eye on their property.

"For those systems that have the benefit of two way audio, this function allows a user to listen and speak, via their smartphone or tablet, to whoever has been seen on the camera, meaning they can notify the offender that they have been spotted and the police are en route.

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"As was the case during yesterday's incident in Knottingley, this will most likely cause them to leave the premises prior to entry being gained, and the footage may then be used for identification purposes in an attempt to catch the person attempting to break in."