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Mobile App Helps Homeowner Stop A Thief In Her Tracks

MORGAN HILL (KPIX 5) -- There's a new video of a crime that almost happened.

A South Bay man noticed a woman on his porch, perhaps casing his house.

But he managed to scare her off even though he wasn't home.

How?

He used an app that stopped the woman in her tracks.

The woman in the video appears to be looking for a spare key hidden somewhere near the door.

"Hello, can I help you?" he says.

And she is startled when she realizes the homeowner's security system allows him not only to see her, but to speak with her directly.

"I saw you in the neighborhood a couple of days ago. I don't think you should be in the neighborhood. I'm going to call the police," he said.

The homeowner, who posted the video on social media as a warning to his neighbors, believes he stopped a break-in before it started.

Morgan Hill police Sgt. Carl Thomas said, "We think it's important that homeowners or business owner engage that person that they don't recognize. And they should let them know that they're watching and recording and have called the police."

Thomas says sophisticated security systems with real-time video monitoring and two-way communication, all connected to your smart phone, is a game changer for homeowners.

But he says it's still important to call the police even if you think you've scared off the would-be burglar.

Thomas said, "Maybe, this is the third or fourth house this man or woman has gone to. Maybe, they committed a crime somewhere else. This would strengthen our case."

The homeowner says he called police. And hopes getting caught on camera will make the woman think twice about coming back to the neighborhood.

"We're focused on prevention," Thomas said. "We'd rather a person not be a victim than be a victim and have us catch the individual."

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