Florida police credit Flock cameras in arrest of child molestation suspect [rxWWrpdKGtM]
CRESTVIEW, Fla. --- Law enforcement agents in Northwest Florida are thanking Flock cameras after a suspect fled the area. This month -- 38-year-old Eric Allen Theis was arrested and charged with two counts of lewd and lascivious molestation of a child under the age of 12 and two additional counts of sexual performance of a child. "Allegedly, he was a friend of the family but stayed with them and just took advantage of their children while he was there," Crestview Police Department Chief Stephen McCosker said. Police Chief Stephen McCosker says there were multiple children in the home where he was staying. He says at least two kids were alleged victims. Investigators issued the arrest warrant two days after receiving the report, but the suspect was nowhere in sight; that's when investigators turned to the flock camera system. McCosker says Theis and his vehicle were flagged in the Jacksonville area. That's where Thies was arrested on Friday. Mccosker credits Flock cameras in investigations like these. It's a system the department has used since 2022. "They brought many cases to a quick close," McCosker said. "We had a vehicle that was stolen. We were able to recover it within 30 minutes." Also last week in Escambia County, Sheriff Chip Simmons says a technology similar to Flock helped solve the high-stakes burglary at "Crabs on the Beach." Flock is a company that uses audio and video to collect data According to the company, the goal is to enhance community safety and support investigations. Critics say the technology does the opposite "There's a lot that's at risk. It's a safety issue, but I think more than that, it's our basic rights in this country," Pensacola Liberation Center organizer Sarah Brummet said. Sarah Brummet is an organizer with the Pensacola Liberation Center. She says her main concern is the reported "mass surveillance" that comes along with Flock. Brummet wants to see all Flock cameras come down. "We don't all need to be surveilled as though we are criminals. So yes, I don't think that there's a viable use for Flock cameras because the actual intention behind Flock cameras isn't solving crime; it's mass surveillance," Brummet said. Chief McCosker says Thies is awaiting extradition back to Okaloosa County. _________________________________________ Follow WEAR on social media: TikTok: Facebook: Twitter: Instagram: Newsletter sign-up: Have a tip? Email us at [email protected] Have a video or photo you want to share? Upload it to WEAR is a FL based station and an ABC Television affiliate and NBC Television affiliate owned and operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group. Sinclair, Inc. is one of the largest and most diversified television broadcasting companies in the country today. Sinclair owns and operates, programs or provides sales services to 163 television stations in 77 markets, after pending transactions. Sinclair's television group reaches approximately 38.7% of US television households and includes FOX, ABC, MyTV, CW, CBS, NBC, Univision and Azteca affiliates. #weartv #florida #localnews #abc3 #pensacola #floridanews