Flock cameras praised by Anoka Co. Sheriff after it led to scam arrest, charges
St. Paul weighs future of Flock cameras
St. Paul City Council President Rebecca Noecker is calling for the city and county partners to end their contract with Flock amid concerns about license plate camera data and sharing.
LINDWOOD TOWNSHIP, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Anoka County Sheriff's Office is praising Flock cameras after they used them to arrest an alleged scammer.
Sheriff's office says Flock cameras led to arrest, charges
What we know:
The Anoka County Sheriff's Office sent out a press release Wednesday highlighting a case where Flock cameras reportedly led to the arrest and the criminal charging of a man who allegedly scammed an elderly person out of $14,000.
According to the sheriff's office, deputies responded to a theft in Lindwood Township on July 16. They say an elderly person had been "tricked" into paying $14,000 for driveway work that was never finished.
Santino Thomas Dillon Marks, 33, has been charged in this incident with one count of second-degree burglary and one count of theft.
The charges state that Marks showed up to the victim's house unsolicited and asked if the victim wanted his driveway sealed. The victim agreed and paid Marks $14,000 in cash. Marks allegedly finished a portion of the driveway and left.
The sheriff's office says the victim was led into the back of the house while another suspect went into the victim's home and stole from his safe. Court documents say that the victim's deed to his home, his military discharge papers and his coin collection were stolen.
After deputies found photos of Marks' car on Facebook, they used Flock cameras to track him down to Andover a few weeks after the incident happened in Lindwood Township, and he was arrested.
Marks is allegedly a suspect in several other similar crimes throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin and has no other ties to the state other than his criminal activity, court documents say.
What they're saying:
"This case shows how damaging scams like this can be, especially to vulnerable residents. It also demonstrates how important modern technology is for public safety. Tools like license plate readers give deputies timely and accurate information. This powerful information helps solve crimes faster and hold criminals accountable," the Anoka County Sheriff's office said in a press release.
What we don't know:
Authorities say that the investigation into the second suspect is ongoing and did not say if the suspect has been arrested.
Flock camera debate
The backstory:
Several Minnesota law enforcement agencies have recently ended their contracts with Flock due to community mistrust of the camera, privacy concerns and reports of misuse by law enforcement officers across the country.
READ MORE: St. Paul Flock cam debate: How does the technology work?
Flock says its cameras read about 20 billion license plates every month nationwide with 93% accuracy. The company points to crime-solving successes, such as in Stillwater, where a council member said the cameras helped solve a fraud case and cleared a person accused of assault. On the other hand, community members and advocacy groups raise concerns over data retention and potential misuse.
The Source: A press release from the Anoka County Sheriff's Office, charging documents out of Anoka County and past FOX 9 reporting.