DOERUN, GA (WALB) – Images from a stolen surveillance system helped investigators arrest a suspected drug dealer. Colquitt County Sheriff’s Investigators made three arrests stemming from a burglary and drug deal connection.
A Colquitt County farmer went online to see if he could find his stolen video surveillance system. He not only found his system but he also helped the Sheriff’s office arrest a drug dealer they had been investigating.
Drug dealers caught on camera they stole.
Hundreds of images showing illegal drug activity inside a Doerun home were sent to the Google account of a chicken farmer in Colquitt County.
Investigators say the Wi-Fi camera motion detection system was one of several electronic items Mark Harrell stole from the farm Wednesday morning.
“A computer and surveillance camera was stolen,” said Lt. Shawn Bostick.
Investigators believe Harrell traded in or sold the electronic items to his drug dealer, Ricky Alford Sr., who set up the surveillance system in his home on Minnesota Road in Doerun. Alford didn’t realize the video from that system was being seen by the systems owner.
The owner says he was able to access at least 1700 pictures from his Google account within a span of two hours from inside of the home on devices like his mobile phone.
“He was still able to access the camera and once it became in the range of a Wi-Fi it started broadcasting again,” said Bostick.
Investigators also had access.
“We were able to start viewing images from the interior of the home and the images captured did seem to indicate what we would associate with drug transaction type of behavior,” said Bostick.
Wednesday night investigators arrested Ricky Alford Sr and his son Derick in their Doerun home, where they found the owner’s stolen property along with cocaine. Both men including Mark Harrell remain in the Colquitt County Jail.
The stolen items will be returned back to the owner.