A would-be copper thief was arrested in Torrance recently thanks to the work of a police drone, authorities said.
Drone footage released by Torrance police on Monday shows the suspect wearing black pants and black hoodie scurrying across the rooftop of a shopping plaza while carrying a black trash bag.
“Another solid arrest with the help of our UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System) Team!,” the Police Department said in a tweet. “This suspect was caught attempting to strip copper from the rooftop of a local business.”
Video shows the suspect leave the plastic bag behind and climb down a hatch on the roof. He surrendered without incident, police said.
The Torrance Police Department was the first law enforcement agency in the nation to receive an FAA 107 airspace waiver, allowing it to operate drones in restricted airspace near airports. It launched its UAS program in 2016.