California Officers Launch Drone at Scene to Takedown Burglary Suspect

Early Tuesday morning officers of the Elk Grove (California) Police Department were called to a vehicle burglary in progress and arrested a suspect with the aid of a drone.

Police say they arrived at the scene around 2:55 a.m., launched a drone, and saw the suspect walking away from the target vehicle, getting into a vehicle, and driving away.

The suspect later identified by police as Vertrail Payne, 31, led officers on a short vehicle pursuit. He then stopped his vehicle, got out, and ran away, police said in a Facebook statement.  

Using the drone, police were able to locate the suspect on a nearby off ramp to the freeway. Police say, “Payne took off running again and the drone was able to follow him as he hid in an empty vehicle in a nearby business. Payne was surrounded and eventually surrendered to officers.”

Payne was booked at the Sacramento County Main Jail on several felony charges including evading and vehicle burglary.

The stolen property was recovered and returned to its owner, police say.