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Sheriff's Drone Chases Down Fleeing Suspect In San Leandro

SAN LEANDRO (CBS SF) -- A search warrant served on a home in San Leandro netted more than a dozen arrests, including one fleeing suspect chased by a sheriff's department drone.

The arrests took place at a home on the 1200 block of Seeley St. Monday, according to a tweet by the Alameda County Sheriff's Office.

"It looked like it could have been National Guard from the uniforms, and the guns and the truck without any writing on it," said area resident Amanda Almonte.

Heavily armed Alameda County Sheriff's deputies served a search warrant at a house in San Leandro.

 

14 people were arrested on gambling, drugs and other charges, the sheriff's office said.

"14 is quite a bit. We were surprised a bit by the number, but we were able to deal with it," said Alameda Sheriff's spokesperson Ray Kelly.

Another tweet by the agency noted that one of those arrested had fled the scene but was followed by a small drone - or as the tweet described it, a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle).

The suspect who fled had run out the back door and jumped a fence but was captured one block away with no resistance.

"Today we had somebody run from this location and because we had this up in the air we were able to follow him and tell the ground units where he was," said Kelly. "We had a deputy walk over and detain him without incident."

"They had a drone up, had it flying around the house," said area resident Keith Salminen. "My guess is that way they can see if anybody is hiding out in various parts of the back yard, because I remember that was one of the issues they had in previous raids."

Neighbors said the same house has been raided multiple times in the past.

"You know, it almost felt like…not San Leandro," said Salminen. "Like in the middle of Iraq or Afghanistan or something for crying out loud."

Residents are hopeful, now after Monday morning's raid and arrests that peace can be restored to this neighborhood.

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