Surveillance cameras prove critical to identifying suspects

Between surveillance cameras in businesses, traffic cameras at busy intersections and inadvertently finding one’s way into the background of a cellphone video, being caught on camera several times a day isn’t uncommon for the average person.

In solving crimes, finding those videos can be crucial for law enforcement in identifying and apprehending suspects.

The Newark Division of Police was able to use video surveillance from a convenience store to identify Zakery Neldon, 19, who was indicted on rape, kidnapping and robbery charges this week after the sexual assault of a Newark High School student Oct. 9.

The lead investigator on the case, Detective Steve Vanoy, said having the camera footage was integral to finding Neldon.

“That’s how we were able to identify him,” Vanoy said. “Anytime we’re able to get video on any type of investigation, it’s helpful.”

Neldon also was captured on other surveillance cameras before officers were able to identify him from a facial shot. Vanoy said the department canvassed the area near Granville and Houll streets where the sexual assault occurred and recovered footage from several businesses that appeared to show Neldon following the 15-year-old victim.

“The quality wasn’t very good, but you could see a couple people walking by in the time frame that made sense,” Vanoy said.

When and where are important

Licking County Prosecutor Ken Oswalt said having video evidence can help officials identify someone as a possible suspect because of where and when the video was filmed.

“If you can find people wearing the same clothing at or near the scene right around the time, that can sometimes put somebody into the person-of-interest category,” he said.

Newark Police Sgt. Scott Snow said being able to identify clothing or distinguishing characteristics, such as a person’s walk, also can be obtained from video.

“There’s a number of ways that we are able to utilize video evidence to the benefit of the investigation,” he said.

Video often used throughout area

Licking County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Dave Starling said the office tries to get video surveillance on numerous types of crimes and have been successful in identifying suspects with it.

“You can’t do much anymore without being recorded somewhere,” he said.

Starling said he could think of several instances where surveillance from businesses have helped identify suspects in robberies.

Cameras on private residences also are becoming more common and can be used to identify suspects.

A robbery suspect was caught on camera on the front porch of a home in the 700 block of Hollander Street in October. The homeowner turned the footage over to Newark police.

“The more people that have (cameras), the more businesses that have them, the more likely we are able to piece something together,” Snow said.

Quality getting better

Starling said the number of cameras might not necessarily be increasing, but the quality of video captured is.

“There’s a lot more stuff on the market now than there has been,” he said.

Oswalt said he also has seen the quality of video increase in the past 10 years.

“Before, you had blurry black and white on VHS tapes that somebody may have forgotten to change so it ran out,” he said. “Now you have a continuous one and you can capture more longer.”

A growing trend

Dale Ours, president of DMO Security Systems Inc. in Newark, said business is booming.

“From houses to commercial, (crime’s) just double what it was three years ago,” he said. “It’s unbelievable.”

Ours thinks the increase is because of the number of people out of work or underemployed and needing to provide for their families.

“The breaking and entering, the stealing, it’s running rampant,” he said.

Having a personal security camera is legal as long as it is not being used inappropriately, Snow said.

“You just have to make sure that the camera is aimed so it doesn’t go into your neighbor’s bedroom or something,” he said.

Oswalt said video is admissible evidence in court, but there has to be someone to testify that the video is a “true and accurate picture.”

“It’s like anything else,” he said. “You’re going to need somebody to testify that it’s a recording system on all the time used in the course of the business.”

Having video footage also can be used to verify witness accounts.

“It can be crucial to supporting one version over another,” Oswalt said.

Video proves innocence, too

While the obvious use of cameras would be to identify a wrongdoer, Snow said video footage also can be used to rule out someone as a suspect.

“Sometimes you have someone accused of a crime and the video can show that they weren’t involved,” he said. “It tends more toward identifying suspects than peoplegetting out of being suspects.”