Burglar Robs Camera Store

December 7, 2006

So You Need a Computer

Boise, Idaho -- Store burglaries in Boise are crimes that are becoming all too common in the city of trees -- a type of crime, incidentally, that's risen by 20 percent since last year.

But Boise Police say this latest event is a somewhat lighthearted example of an investment that local businesses should be taking seriously.

It's not usually a criminal mastermind who tries breaking into a business that sells video surveillance equipment, but that's exactly what happened at Computer Central early Friday morning.

The footage shows him smashing the glass front door, then walking around the shop trying to steal computers. Unfortunately for him, they were bolted down.

Allen Michael Darnell of Emmett
is charged with burglary

"Got in, tried to unsuccessfully steal a computer and printer, then left, and then came back a second time. He actually made contact with some witnesses there, who saw him leave again," said Lynn Hightower, Boise Police spokesperson.

Twenty-one year old Allen Michael Darnell of Emmett apparently had a hard time avoiding about 14 cameras that surround the interior of Computer Central.

He appears to have noticed the fact that the store was filled with security cameras, because after a short time he pulls his coat up over his head. This devious criminal masterstroke was slightly undercut, however, by the fact that he also kept going up to the cameras and staring straight into them.

"We have infrared cameras, we have all weather cameras that were picking up what was going on, high definition cameras, that kind of thing," said Kelly Johnson, Computer Central outside sales manager.

Darnell's every move was captured on video.

Not even a Beavis and Butthead routine was enough to trick these all-seeing eyes, especially since he took a moment to peer into one of them.

The only thing Darnell got away with was about $250 from the register, but even that wouldn't be his for long.

"Officers were able to see him hiding behind some bushes, it turned into a real short foot chase. He tried to run, but police caught up with him and arrested him pretty quickly," said Hightower.

And thanks to several minutes of action-packed footage, police easily identified him.

According to Kelly Johnson the company just started selling the equipment a few months ago, and now it's already proving itself.

"This way you can actually see what the guy looks like, or the person looks like, instead of just a black and white image where you just kind of guess what they look like," he said.

While this may be a great advertising gimmick for Computer Central, Lynn Hightower said it really does outline just how critical it is for businesses to invest in video surveillance.

"So it was over very quick and kind of tied up with a bow thanks to the equipment that the business had invested," she said.

"If a burglar wants to break into a store that sells video tape equipment like this, they're going to get busted," said Johnson.

According to police, surveillance equipment can't do it alone, they say it's also important to invest in an alarm system, and of course hoping for some observant witnesses can't hurt.

In this case, one of the witnesses was a store employee who happened to be next door at the time, and was even able to point police to the suspect's hiding place.

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Camera Store Thief

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